Something That Can't Be Denied
by TheQueenV
Summary: Anise hid a deep, dark secret with her. Randy refused to let her go. It's all catching up with her, and now... he's found her.
1. Chapter 1

"Open the door, Anise!" he bellowed from outside of the room. "I will _not_ do this all goddamn day! Open the fucking door!"

"No!" she screamed out, holding her children close to her. "Please, leave us alone! Please!"

There was no one around. No one to help her and her children escape the wrath that he had. She only knew it was a matter of time before he located her. But she scolded herself for becoming too comfortable here. For becoming too secure out in the middle of nowhere. She should have known better. She should have been more careful. And she should have kept moving on.

"""""

_Two Years Ago..._

He grabbed her arm violently, yanking her back to where he was.

"Look at me, damn it," he said, those blue eyes nearly making her feel sorry enough. "We can't keep doing this, Anise."

"I know and that's why I'm leaving." She pulled her arm away from him and continued to pack her items.

"You can't just leave either."

"And why not?"

"Because you're my wife!" he stated as he swiftly moved closer to her. "You think you can just commit yourself to me, and then leave?"

"Oh, please, Randy!" she spat out. "Commit? What commitment? I have to answer the phone and hear one of your bimbos ask for you? Is that the kind of commitment you wanted from me?"

He lowered his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This has to stop," he calmly said.

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed, zipping close her bag. "Which is why I'll be gone."

"And what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, Randy." She slung the bag over her shoulder. "You should have thought about that before."

She disliked the fact that he followed her out of the bedroom they had shared these past few years, and down the staircase into the foyer. But she didn't say anything. It's not like he'd ever listened to her anyway. She'd lost count of the many times they'd done this. Right as her foot was sticking out of the door, and she could smell the fresh air that waited for her, he reeled her back in.

"How am I supposed to see my kids?" he asked.

And hook.

"Randy," she said, turning around to him.

"I barely get to see them anyway. You always send them over to Steph's or your mom's. Why can't they be here with us while I'm home? I'm not away enough as it is?"

"Because they don't need to see us fighting and arguing all the time. The fuck kind of question is that? You can see them at headquarters – "

"How do you expect me to fix anything if I can never do what I need to do?"

She could feel the line get tighter. He was reeling her in. She started hating herself for constantly giving into him long before they even had their twins. No matter what he ever did to her, she always forgave him and was instantly right back into his arms. Then he'd choke her again... He'd hit her again... The cycle never seemed to end.

But tonight was enough. If he wanted to argue, fine. She'd let him. But she wouldn't let him stop her from walking out this time.

"There's nothing to fix, Randy," she quietly said. She watched his hand move toward her shoulder as he attempted to grab her bag.

"Here, let me set that down for you." The smooth, rumbling voice of his never failed to set her on fire. "Just come with me, we can talk it out – "

She snapped his hand away from her. "No," she plainly said. "No, I don't want to talk. I want to leave. The kids will see you when you come to the headquarters." Brushing her hair away from her face, she tilted her chin up at him. "I don't want to do this anymore, Randy. I'm tired of it."

"So am I," he shot back quickly. "You think I enjoy doing this? You think I like bickering with you from sun up to sun down? This goes on every single day we're around each other, Anise."

"And don't you think it's time to end it?"

He came in so close to her that she could feel his warm breath send jolts of electricity down her spine. "You are my wife. I asked you to marry me because I wanted to spend my life with you."

And sinker. She didn't know what it was. What it was about him that made her knees give out... That made her legs feel like they'd collapse at any moment. Randy Orton was a very special man indeed, with some incredible talents, and it made her agree to come back every time.

Their lips almost touched, almost gave into the heat between them... But she pulled away, waving her hand in the air. She swore at the tears that streamed down her cheeks.

"I can't," she choked out. "I can't do it anymore." A heavy sob escaped her lips before she spoke again. "I'm so tired. I just can't."

For whatever reason, Randy didn't stop her as she turned from him, twisting the door knob to the front door, and left. He just stood there, long after she was gone. And she was gone. She just left...

"""""

"So, what now?" Shawn asked. He was sitting on the railing to the steps of the porch. "Dad, we can't just let her go back to him. And she can't go to mom's. That's the first place he'll look."

"You sure she didn't tell him?"

Shawn raised a hand up. "That's what she told me. That she packed a bag and left. I hope she didn't say anything to him, because I'd hate to shoot the motherfucker."

"You know you're talking about murdering the father to your niece and nephew, right?" Anise's voice came from behind where they were. He looked behind him, a grin on his face.

"He may be the father, but he put his hands on you, and that just don't sit right with me," Shawn replied. Anise pulled the hoodie she wore to, crossing her arms, and stepped out to where Jeff stood in front of her brother.

"Oh, that's just big brother talk, Anise," Shawn's uncle, Matt, said as he waved his hand towards her. "You know someone's gotta save the younger ones."

She smiled at his humor, grateful for him making a tense comment somewhat relaxed. Leaning against the railing next to Shawn, she laid her head against his arm, and he gladly placed his arm around her shoulders, offering her some warmth.

"Speaking of siblings, where are all the little ones?" Matt asked, noticing that neither his nephew nor Anise had any of their children.

"Mine are with mom," Anise said first.

"Cristine's gone to the store," Shawn then replied. "Took Astrid with her."

Jeff stubbed out the cigarette he was smoking. "I must be the only one here with no babies," he grinned.

"Only one old enough," retorted Matt.

"Says the old man!" Jeff exclaimed. After the laughter dwindled down, Jeff focused his attention on Anise. When she arrived, she looked utterly exhausted. There were no words to explain exactly how rundown she appeared. As if she _had_ been running. Away from what, Jeff really didn't know. The only other person who could really answer that for any of them would have been Orton himself, but at this point, none of them spoke to him anymore.

They'd simply grown apart, and for the only fact that one of theirs was even involved with him, did they ever really hear his name. Shawn though... Jeff had never seen him so angered. Never seen his son so completely wrapped up in wanting to destroy someone. Hell, if Cristine and Anise hadn't been here to stop him, he most likely _would_ have gone after the man. Jeff knew that Shawn wanted to break down and go insane, but he didn't for Anise. She was the only thing that really kept him sane sometimes.

"How you been, Anise?" Jeff asked casually.

She lightly shrugged. "Doing okay, I guess. Glad that everyone around here does the same old thing."

Jeff nodded in agreement. "Always been. Gunner and Gianna going to come down too?"

"Think I will pick them up and bring them down for a bit," she answered as they all turned and looked at beaming headlights. The car pulled up and stopped, and Cristine opened the driver's side door. Within a minute, Anise heard her tiny niece.

"Aunt Nisey!"

"Why, hey there, girlie," Anise said, holding out her arms, inviting the little girl for a hug. "How's my sweet honey?"

"Good," she simply answered. "You gonna stay the night?"

"Honey, I'll be staying a few nights," she said, tapping the girl's nose.

"Can we have a sleepover?"

"We sure can. Can I invite your cousins over?"

"Yes, ma'am." Astrid ran over to her mother, continuing to talk on. "I love my cousins!"

Anise smiled at the little girl. So much like her father, it wasn't even funny. A moment later, her eyes drifted up to Cristine, who was guiding her daughter into the house while signaling for Anise.

"Come on!" she said from across the patio. "We got some talkin' to do!"

"Night, guys," she said, pushing herself off the railing and heading towards the door.

"Night, Anise," both Matt and Jeff called out as she disappeared back into the house.

_**A/N and Disclaimer:** This is the third (and probably final) story installment from my other two stories Caught In Between and Her Time To Live. I guess I should also add this note while I'm at it: This story has explicit and graphic scenes of violence and abuse. I know for me, on a personal level, I can relate to some of these scenes. I am in no way glorifying domestic violence, and I am in no way claiming that Randy Orton is really like this. I don't know the man. I have no idea what he's like. This is purely fictional, although some examples may be pulled from my own personal experience.  
_

_That being said, given the fair warning, anyone who reads past this chapter knows that the story may go into details that aren't so pleasant.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

"I find it disturbing that you talk to my wife, Cody."

"I find it appalling that you treat her like shit." He didn't care if Randy stared holes into him that night. He was going to tell him how he felt about the situation. A few years ago, one might have said that Cody was being nice just for a chance to date Anise. After learning of the issues between Randy and Anise though, it could only be said that he was simply trying to be a friend to her. With the way Randy was to her, she really needed one.

"I don't appreciate it," Randy continued, "and it's not appropriate."

"What's not appropriate about it?"

"You talk to her behind my back."

"No, I just talk to her," he corrected. "You just happen not to know about it." Cody neatly folded some of his clothing items to place into his duffel bag. "Like you don't know much else about her."

"Since when did you know so much about her?"

"Since I started to see what an awesome person she is, and how you don't care to learn that. How she ever married you is completely over my head."

"A lot of things are over your head," Randy said quickly. "And, I'll tell you one other thing... She married me because we love each other, despite everyone trying to break us apart."

Cody nodded. Okay, he'd give Randy that. They had things against them from the very start, including himself. That still didn't justify Randy's treatment towards her. He swiftly zipped up his bag. "Well, believe me, you're doing that just fine yourself."

Randy tilted his head at Cody. "What do you mean?"

Cody looked at him for a moment, then shook his head. "Never mind. I'll see you tomorrow at the next show." He tried to sound friendly, like he would have been towards Randy years ago. But things were different now. He and Randy were never on the same level when it came to Anise. True, Anise was still with Randy, and he may have had no business talking to her, but he just couldn't refuse Anise. She needed any friend she could get. Anyone she could talk to. Anyone she could escape to. Even if he lost the respect and friendship of Randy, he'd gladly give that up to lend a shoulder to Anise.

"""""

He had called her all day. One voice message after the other... Text message after text message. He didn't want to give up. He was relentless in his pursuit. And she didn't want to give in either. She was safe for now, hidden away in a world Randy didn't really know about. For once, she was glad that he never cared to know. For once, she was glad that he was only interested in keeping her in his world. She was especially thankful now that she could keep her world away from him.

Her eyes diverted to the two beings that would suffer the most, sighing to herself as she shuffled her feet away from the window. They slept so calmly on the couch, tired from spending a well-deserved day with their father and uncles. The guys had kept the kids for the day, giving her some well-needed time with her sister-in-law.

"Nise?"

The voice in the darkened door way startled her a little, but she slowly made her way over to him.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"You need some help with the kids?" he asked softly. She shook her head, hugging herself as she leaned against the wall next to him.

"They're fine sleeping there," she told him. He nodded sleepily, running a tattooed hand over his short blond hair. Absentmindedly biting her bottom lip, she stopped him from leaving, holding out a hand to him. "Shannon?"

"Yeah?" he said, quickly turning back around to her.

"Thanks." The simple word floated off her lips, making a groggy smile cross his own lips.

"Family," he said. "That's what we do."

She watched him trod back down the hallway, waiting to hear his bedroom door click shut before grabbing a blanket from the linen closet, and turning in for the night.

"""""

Voices woke her up from where she laid uncomfortably on the plush chair in Shannon's living room. Shortly after, the smell of bacon wafted into her senses. She stretched, pushing the blanket off her body and onto the floor. Feeling a hand snaking itself underneath her back, she tried turning to see the person behind the chair. Before she could, the hand pushed with a force she couldn't fight against in her groggy state, and she was promptly dumped to the carpeted floor.

"What the hell, Shane!" she angrily spat out after landing to the side of the chair.

"I believe this is _my_ chair in the mornings," he said, offering no sympathy.

"Don't you have your _own_ house to go to anymore!" she shouted out, swiftly standing to her feet and heading straight towards him. He was laughing as he held out his hands, which she instinctively grabbed with hers. "I didn't know your freaking name was on the chair!"

She pushed him into the couch where her children slept the previous night. He continued laughing at her as she battled him, but he was too strong as he pushed her up off him, backing her back into the very chair he forced her to vacate.

"Go, mommy!" her daughter Gianna cheered.

"Nuh! Uncle Shane is gonna win!" Gunner then said in defense.

The two children jumped off their chairs, forgetting their half-eaten plates at the table, joining in the effort to make their side win. Anise started giggling helplessly as Shane tickled her side, then quickly moved his hand to tickle Gianna.

"Mommy's ticklish!" Gunner said, wiggling his fingers over his mother's stomach.

"Oh! Stop it!" Anise breathed out. Feeling Shane circle his arms around her waist, he rolled her around on the floor a few times, her children still screaming with excitement.

Matt and Shannon stood in the kitchen, leaning on the counters, a smile on their face watching the fun that was going on. It wasn't long before Cristine and Shawn came into the house through the kitchen door, their daughter joining in on the laughter.

"Shawn!" Anise cried out, hardly able to breathe. "Shawn, help!" She held out a hand to him, waiting for him to stroll his way over to where she lay on the floor, the children piled on top of her. "They turned on me!"

Shawn laughed out, taking a hold on her hand and firmly pulling her out of the heap of kids. "I see that. Go get ready, I'll get the kids dressed."

"Thanks," she said breathlessly, quickly disappearing from the house.

"You guys going to Connecticut soon?" Matt asked Shawn as he gathered up his niece and nephew.

"Yeah," he answered. "Come on guys. I gotta get you ready to see your daddy."

Before he could shuffle them back to his house, the hand of his nephew Gunner grabbed onto his arm.

"Uncle Shawn?" his little voice said, his tiny face contorted with question. "Why don't mommy and daddy like each other?"

"Gun!" Gianna chided. "We're not supposed to ask that!"

"No, no," Shawn told her, lowering himself so he could talk to them. "You can ask about anything you want. Don't be afraid. I'd rather you ask and know about something."

"Okay," her tiny voice said as she shook her head. She looked hesitant before her puffy cheeks twisted with query. "Why?"

He looked at Cristine for some sort of answer. When all she could offer was a gentle smile, he looked back down at the waiting kids.

"They do like each other, but sometimes... " He hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Sometimes, people need to think better alone. But that doesn't mean they don't love you. They love the two of you with everything they have."

"Okay," they both said sadly.

"Why don't we go get ready now?" Shawn asked in a happier voice. "Your dad will be so excited to see you." He took one of their hands in each of his own, taking them over to his house. Although he wanted them to see Randy, he dreaded Anise seeing him. She couldn't go back to him. In the few weeks she had been back with them, she looked much better, and he knew she felt better. Her face wasn't bruised and sunken in. She gained back the weight she lost. And she wasn't constantly under the stress of Randy hovering over her.

Shawn could only hope she stayed smart about it.


	3. Chapter 3

He smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time as his children ran into his arms. Anise had been pulled away from the joyous meeting by her family. He heard her talking about something serious to her mother, but pushed it out of his mind upon sight of his kids.

"I know, mom," she said, wringing her hands together. "Yeah, but it's so heartbreaking not being able to have them around him."

Tears shone in her eyes, worry consuming her as Vivian and Stephanie pulled her away from the commotion. The three of them disappeared into a conference room, leaving him to put all his concentration on the two excited children jumping up for him.

"Daddy!" Gianna said, having her turn being held by him, tightly hugging around his neck.

"And how's my baby girl?"

"I'm good, daddy," she said cheerfully. "And you?"

He laughed, giving her a kiss to the cheek. "I'm doing great now that I have my babies!" He lowered her back to the floor, giving them both a tickle. Cristine's figure walking by, heels clicking against the floor as she was swiftly going into the conference room where Anise was, drew his attention up to look at Shawn. He was standing with his daughter Astrid hugged closely to him. The little girl looked at him, shyly turning her head to face away from him. Shawn patted her back, and began slowly walking towards them.

"Randy," he simply said, not bothering to offer a handshake.

"Hey," he replied, nodding his head. Before he could say anything else, Cristine emerged from the room, Anise leaning on her. She supported Anise the best she could as they made their way to the elevators. Randy looked down at his kids, and luckily, they hadn't been paying attention to it.

Shawn, with Astrid still held close to his side with his arm bracing her, walked to where his aunt and mother stood in the doorway of the conference room.

"What's going on?" he asked them.

"She's too upset to talk," Stephanie said. "Cristine's taking her up to the bathroom on the fourth floor.

"Why's she upset? She wasn't talking about anything at all during the trip here."

Vivian pulled Shawn into the room, the door shutting slowly behind him.

"""""

"You okay, honey?" Cristine asked her as they settled into the empty room. Anise spent a good fifteen minutes in the bathroom, the tears pouring down relentless. She just felt like screaming, and tearing up everything she could.

"I just want him to see how much he hurts me," Anise said. "It's not even human what he's done to me."

Cristine was quick to place an arm around her shoulders, trying to comfort her as the crying started again. "In my heart of hearts, I don't think he wants to hurt you. I really think he loves you and I see that he adores those kids."

Anise shook her head. "He doesn't care. You guys don't even know the half of it."

"We've noticed the bruising, Nise."

She shook her head again, scooting away from Cristine and off the couch. "You see them _after_ they've healed for a couple of weeks. I send the kids up to mom because I don't – "

She froze as she heard the door shut, Randy standing still against the door. Cristine then stood, standing in front of Anise.

"We're talking, Randy. She'll be back down in a minute."

He seemed unimpressed at the fact that Cristine was protecting her. His eyes landed on Anise's form, clearly seeing that she was shaken up. Although worry was laced in his expression, Cristine feared it was for the wrong reasons.

"I just wanted to check on her," he said, his voice eerily low.

"Just please, give us a minute." She held up a hand, hoping that he remained where he stood. There was a tense moment as he looked at her, not saying a thing before he exited out the room. Letting out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding in, she turned back around to Anise.

"I can't do it anymore," she just said, a hand grasping her stomach as she bent over in tears.

"Do what, honey? Talk to me."

Anise stood up straight, trying to contain her emotions. "He-He hits me, Cris."

Cristine knew that much. They had all seen the markings that Randy left on her from time to time. But things started to click in her mind. Reasons why none of them would see Anise for weeks.

"Is that why you've sent Gun and Gia up here to stay with Viv?" she asked, leading them back to the couch.

"Yes," she sighed out, raking her hair out of her face. "I don't want them to see me when I'm so weak."

"No, no honey, you're not weak." She took Anise's hands into hers. "You're strong. Not many women could do what you do."

Anise took a moment to breathe steadily, a weight lifted off her shoulders at the admission. "I don't want to break them up. That's why I stayed. But I can't do it anymore."

Cristine listened, leading an understanding ear to Anise. She imagined that Anise never told anyone else what she now told her. Not even Shawn. The revelations of just exactly what Anise was going through laid heavily on her. She didn't want to imagine her sister-in-law going through such harsh things, especially by a man that they all knew and worked with. Perhaps if he were just some random guy she'd met, they wouldn't hesitate to tear him apart and rip him to shreds.

"""""

"Mom, what's going on?" Murphy's voice came as Randy stepped out of the elevator. Seeing the rest of her family there set him on edge. He figured she must have been notified of her cousin's distraught state, because her eyes snapped toward where he was walking up the hallway.

He heard Stephanie respond, telling her where Anise was with Cristine, barely getting down the hallway before Murphy jabbed her finger into his chest.

"Murphy," her father, Paul, said. "Murphy, don't."

"I swear to everything on me, Randy, if you've fucking hurt her, I'll rip your fucking head off," she told him, teeth gritted, ignoring the warning of her father. She pushed by him, tapping the button to call the elevator, not giving him another glance. Evelyn walked past him soon after, giving him the slightest look before joining up with Murphy just as the elevator door opened.

Randy walked back down the hallway to where his kids stood with their uncles.

"What the hell have you done?" Michaels asked him, his low scratchy voice barely heard as Randy looked at him.

Paul stepped up, placing an arm in between the two men. "If you know what's good for you, don't answer that."

"She doesn't want to be with me anymore," Randy said without any emotion. "What more do you want? You all won."

"No one won anything," Stephanie said, her worried face dropping to a scowl. "My niece is up there, crying, holding in God knows what you've done to her, and you think this was some sort of contest?"

"It always has been, Steph," Randy spat out. "You just couldn't leave us alone, could you?"

The disgusted look that crossed her face made everyone's heart drop into their stomach. "How dare you? How dare you think we should just leave her alone, especially after today, when we know that you've been – " She stopped herself from saying anything more in front of the three toddlers, a hand covering her mouth in even more disgust over what he had done to her.

She turned away from the man, Vivian putting an arm over her shoulder and leading her to the elevators. Randy didn't want to turn to face his children after watch the two women disappear. He didn't want to see the confused, questioning faces of them. They never needed to know. It would erase all traces of love they had for him, and he just didn't know if he could live with that. It was bad enough he would have to live without Anise...

"You son-of-a-bitch!" Vince's crackling voice came. "How dare you treat my granddaughter that way!"

"Vince," Paul sternly called out, moving so Vince could see the twins standing next to Astrid. Vince's face fell with sorrow, and he adjusted his tie to distract himself. But as his eyes traveled back to Randy, the sourness returned.

"She's on the fourth floor," Shawn informed him.

"Well," he said, his voice a level quieter. "Clear out the fourth floor. No one's to go up there for any reason unless she wants them to be there."

Randy knew that demand was directed at him. He didn't care though. He'd already gone up there, Cristine quickly stopping him from doing anything to silence Anise. Anger flashed over him for a quick moment. The ideas she was putting into their heads right now... Making him out to be some terrible human being... Some monster... He knew she was doing just that. And they all had their rights to believe her. She was one of theirs, and anything she said would be consistent with her not seeing them for weeks, sometimes months, at a time.

But _she_ decided not to see them. He never forced her to turn down their offers of visitation. She chose not to see them, and if you asked him, that had nothing to do with him. All he was trying to do was keep his woman – his _wife_ – in control. As a wife, she needed to be with him. He knew they wouldn't understand such a thing, simply because she also made the choice to keep their relationship hidden from them. From day one, they knew nothing about it, and they don't know anything about it now.


	4. Chapter 4

_ She quickly ran up the staircase, desperately wishing the steps would just swallow her whole._

_ "Anise!"_

_ Ignoring him, she made her way into their bedroom._

_ "Anise!"_

_ His voice followed her, tauntingly calling out her name. Before she could slam the door shut, his hand stopped it. The force of him pushing his weight against it was too much. He swung it back, full force, nearly knocking her to the floor._

_ "What the fuck do you think you're doing coming in this fucking late? Have you lost your damn mind?"_

_ The short breaths that escaped her body left her lungs crying out for more air. She clung to her stomach, desperate for some type of relief._

_ "Randy, stop, please."_

_ "Who were you with, huh?" he asked, stalking in on her. Too quick for her to dodge, he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her further into the bedroom. With an ear splitting scream, she cried out._

_ "No one!"_

_ "You think you can just go behind my back?"_

_ "No, I wasn't, I swear," she cried more, hot tears streaking her face. His face wore an evil glare, and she didn't even want to look at him. She didn't want to see the pure anger in him._

_ "Oh, you weren't? That's why it's almost two in the fucking morning, and you're just getting in."_

_ "There was a traffic delay," she said, a little breath coming back into her body._

_ "Don't lie to me!" he shouted, yanking her up once more by the hair. "Don't fucking lie to me, Anise."_

_ "I'm not! Please, I'm not!" She felt the pressure against her back as he shoved her back into the foot of the bed, his hand still firmly rooted in her hair. "Please, Randy!"_

_ "Shut the fuck up," he said to her, venom dripping from the words. "I wait for you half the fucking night, and all you want to do is run from me."_

_ "I'm not running, please, let go."_

_ Her tears didn't seem to deter him from what his mind was set on. She felt the first blow land across her cheek, not even having an ounce of time before she felt a second one follow. Her hand flew up in an attempt to block his hits. But he merely worked his way around her feeble efforts to protect herself._

_ After an amount of time that she couldn't keep track of, losing any and all sense of reality, she felt him pick her up by the arm. Reaching out for him, her hands touched his chest, and from what she could see out of her swollen eye, he visibly flinched. That's when he let her go, backing away from her as if she shocked him._

_ "Randy," she said softly, though her voice was hoarse, and it seemed like breathing was impossible._

_ "Don't," he said, holding his hands up. "Just fucking don't."_

_ She sank down to the bed, caving into herself as she heard the bedroom shut. She sat still, waiting for the aching in her body to become dull. She almost wanted him to come back, just so he can see what he did to her. He hurt her. He caused her pain._

_ When she felt like she could support her weight, she made her way back into the bathroom. Stripping her clothes off, she could see the amount of red that covered her shirt, the front of it heavy with blood. It would just be another one she would have to throw away. The blood smeared over her chest, making her look up to where he had absolutely marred her face. One eye completely swollen shut, the other she could barely see through. A cut just above her eyebrow seeped with blood, a few drops flowing down the side of her face to catch into an open cut on the apple of her cheek._

_ Taking a bit of toilet paper, she dabbed at the blood, the tears she wanted to hold back burning her bruised flesh. She tossed the paper, angry with herself, and made her way to the shower to gently washing away the blood. Rinsing water through her honey hair, she sobbed harder, her legs eventually giving out to the weight on her shoulders. She slouched down against the shower wall, the lukewarm water spraying over her body. He did this to her... and she allowed him._

"""""

"My God, Anise," Murphy's voice said slowly. "Why?"

"I don't know," Anise breathed out in a cry. "I don't know why I put up with it. That's not even the tiniest bit of it." Her shoulders began to shake again, a sob wracking her nerves. "I didn't want any of you to worry about me."

"But we didn't want you to deal with that!" Murphy shouted, unable to contain her anger towards Randy. "How fucking dare him put his hands on you!"

Stephanie watched as Evelyn put a hand on Murphy's arm, leading her distraught sister over to the wall lined with windows. Her own attention drew back to Anise, giving a warm hand in comfort as she exhaled.

"Baby, we don't want you hurting anymore," she told Anise. She quickly caught the sobs that her eldest daughter, Aurora, was trying to hold in. Aurora joined them as soon as she stepped into the building, not giving Randy a moment's thought.

A hand drawn to her mouth, Aurora refused a sob from coming out, though the tears couldn't be stopped from streaming down her face.

"Please," she simply said to Anise. "Please don't." She grabbed Anise's hand, squeezing with any strength that the tears hadn't taken away. "Please don't do this to yourself, Anise."

"I didn't mean for this to happen," Anise told her, tears of her own blurring her vision. She felt Aurora pull her closer, running a hand over the back of her head.

"Please, Anise, don't let him do this anymore," she sobbed out. "He doesn't deserve you." She lifted Anise's head from her shoulder, placing either of her hands on each side of her head. "You're so much better than that. Don't you know that?"

Anise couldn't answer her. She only looked down and cried. She knew she deserved better. Even through Randy's abusive ways, she remained true to him. Even though her heart was aching for so much more from him, she remained faithful to him. She knew that if Randy carried on... if she allowed Randy to keep treating her this way... she would have to leave him. She couldn't lose anymore of herself to him. Not when she had so much to live for.

"""""

She sat at their kitchen table, freshly showered, face free of any make up, and her wet hair hung loose as it framed her face.

"I'm so glad I have you guys," she told them.

"Don't even, Anise," Stephanie said. "That's what we're here for."

"Yeah, Nise, we're here for you," Paul said, taking a hold of her hand. "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you want."

She let out a small laugh. "I need to give Shawn a break."

"You don't think he'll come here, do you?" Aurora asked, referring to Randy, as she sat across from Anise at the table. She placed a hand over her pregnant tummy, bracing herself in the chair.

"Not with me around, he won't," Paul said.

"But what about when you and mom go back on the road?" Evelyn asked.

"I'll go back to Shawn's," Anise answered. "I actually thought of buying a place there."

"He doesn't know how to get there, does he?" Murphy then asked, bringing a platter to the table.

Anise shook her head. "Not a clue. He's not even been there once, so he really wouldn't know what house was what."

"Good, because if he bothers you again, I promise you, I'm going to shoot his ass."

Anise let out a tiny laugh. "Shawn said the same thing."

"Shawn is smart then," Murphy commented before sitting down and spooning some food on her plate.

Anise listened to a few more comments being said, then like normal, the conversation switched to something else. She was glad when they began laughing, and enjoyed the fact that she was able to join in. Even if it were only for a moment, she would forget about her situation. She would forget about Randy's hands on her, seemingly marking her for no one else to touch.

But as their dinner wound down, she found herself remembering again. Her cousins have refused her help with cleaning up, she was with Aurora's hand on her arm as they walked towards the den. Though they still spoke lightly, Anise's mind couldn't help but think of him.


	5. Chapter 5

_ "Randy, I don't know what you're talking about," she told him as she entered the bathroom of their hotel suite. His tone was frustrated and angered, but that was nothing new to her since becoming his wife._

_ "You know what I'm talking about. I don't want his hands all over you."_

_ She was too tired to scrub off the makeup that Murphy had flawlessly applied earlier on, but there was no way she could sleep with her hair that tight on her head. So she took a moment to remove the wounded ponytail holder, and loosely twist up her long honey hair, securing it with a clip before stepping back into the room._

_ "It was the Hall of Fame ceremony tonight, Randy," she said blandly. "Everyone was hugging everyone."_

_ Randy rolled his neck, and she could see the redness of his skin that indicated just how angry he was._

_ "He held on to you for just a little too long," he stated in a low voice, approaching her slowly as she stood next to the bed. "Or did you not realize because you were enjoying it too much?"_

_ She scoffed, rolling her eyes at his words. There was always an accusation. She always liked someone's attention too much, or stayed in contact with somebody for too long. If she were lucky, his co-workers would maybe say hello to her, but he didn't see it that way._

_ As she pulled the fluffy comforter back, she tried diverting the conversation. "Don't you need some sleep for tomorrow?"_

_ Before she could get a leg onto the bed, he had her pinned against a wall, his hand pressed to her throat._

_ "I suggest you not make an ass out of me, Anise," he told her with spite in his voice. "If I ever see that showcase of my wife being a whore, I'll make sure it never happens again."_

_ His fingers tightened around her flesh with every word he spoke, making it harder and harder for her to breath. She clawed desperately at his arm, her neatly manicured fingernails no match for his strength._

_ "Randy, stop," she barely choked out._

_ "You will not continue to do that shit," he spat out, ignoring her plea. "You're my wife, and you're going to act like it. Do you understand me?"_

_ His hand let go from around her neck, the same hand landing across her face. She fell to the carpet, willing herself to mute her cry. She couldn't let the other hotel occupants hear her. When this happened at home, they were far enough away from their neighbors. But with rooming neighbors so close, she couldn't let the fear consume her._

_ Bracing herself with an arm across her stomach, she felt him pick her up, only for him to backhand her. Feeling the sting of his hits, she covered her mouth to muffle her outcries. She tried concentrating on anything else other than the sickening sounds of her flesh being bruised. At least their children weren't with them at the moment. They could never see what daddy did to mommy._

_ With one last sharp slap to her cheek, that half connected with her eye, he looked down at her. Pure hatred is what she saw in his icy blue eyes. The blank stare in his face unmoving as he spoke._

_ "Don't do it again," he simply said. "Now get to bed."_

_ He motioned towards the bed, waiting for her to sit on it before making it over to the side he was going to sleep on. She felt like hours had passed by the time she heard his deep, steady breathing. Holding her face as she quietly removed herself from the bed, she was relieved that she could have the couple of hours he would sleep to herself._

"""""

When her eyes opened that morning, she couldn't help the tears that rolled down. She was alone in the bedroom, she could tell by the silence, and although she was alone, she didn't feel alone. Not anymore. She laid flat on her back, realizing that everyone else must have been up from the noise she was hearing from elsewhere in the house. Pots and pans clattering, plates and utensils clinking, multiple kids screaming with laughter, and the booming voices of her parents, and aunt and uncle.

It might have been the most ridiculous racket she had ever heard, but in the strangest way, it comforted her. The home she shared with Randy for the past four years now was so silent sometimes, she almost believed it was hurting her as much as Randy did. She knew she'd eventually have to return to that silent house, but for now, she would just relax and enjoy her time away.

"She's still sleeping," she heard Aurora say from the doorway.

"Nuh, mom," she heard the child say, the feeling of something climbing over her made a smile stretch across her face. She stilled herself, waiting for the little girl to point a finger at her. "Look, she's moving."

Through narrowly opened eyes, Anise saw her little cousin stick a finger in her face, and she took the opportunity to grab it, growling at the five year old. Sitting up in the bed, she quickly grabbed her up, tumbling her around. Aurora laughed at the action, holding a hand to her stomach, and shaking her head at their silliness.

"Jasmine, go down and finish your breakfast," Aurora said to her child. "You've woken up the beast Anise."

Jasmine gave her cousin a gentle hug before sliding off the bed and leaving the room.

"That was a fun way to wake up," Anise said as Aurora sat on the side of the bed. She patted Anise's blanket-clad leg.

"You feel okay?"

Anise nodded. "I'm fine," she answered truthfully. "Best I've felt in a long time."

"We can go with you," Aurora said, not wanting to mention the inevitable. "You never have to do anything alone."

She shook her head sadly at her cousin.

"I can do it. I'm going to have to face him, and I'm not scared." She rubbed her arms as if she were cold, the small smile fading from her lips. "Rorie, do you remember... "

Aurora waited for her, hating the way Anise's eyes welled up with tears. "Go on, tell me," she said softly.

"Remember last year's Hall of Fame?"

"Oh, yeah," Aurora cooed out, sitting back in a more comfortable position. "You had on that pretty blue satin dress."

Anise nodded, wiping away the tears that fell. "Yeah, I was all done up. Murphy did a really great job on me."

She nodded in agreement. "What about that night though?"

Anise kept a hand to her mouth, wishing the sobs would go away. "You remember how I wasn't at the event the following night?"

"Yeah," she said. "Everyone was calling you for a while, but then Stephen told us that you were sleeping on your bus." Her body nearly jolted as she realization hit her, and she knew Anise could clearly read the shock on her face. "So close to us?"

The cries broke free, her chest sinking in, as Anise spoke into the back of her hand. "Yes."

"So damn close to us?" Aurora repeated, her mind racing now. "How did we not see it? We could have done something."

"No," Anise loudly whispered, shaking her head. "Do not blame yourselves for what Randy has done."

"We already have," she said quickly. "We're family, always have been and always will be. And we feel like we failed to protect our own."

"No, you didn't. Believe me, I'm the failure. I stayed with him."

"Because you felt like you had to. Two kids together, honestly, I know how you felt. But that does not give him the right to treat you the way he did."

"I can't do it anymore. Maybe at one point in time, I could have convinced myself that I loved him, and then with the kids, I couldn't stand the thought of being that person who just had kids with someone and left."

"I know, Nisey," Aurora said, offering a comforting rub to Anise's back. "But you're so much stronger than you think. And it wouldn't have been wrong if you did leave. He was not treating you like you should be treated. He should be kissing your feet with all you've put up with from him."

Anise's sobs subsided a little. "Am I stupid for thinking that if he promised me that he'd be better, I'd go back to him?"

"No, not at all. Right now, you're torn between how he is and how you know he could be. But he needs to prove himself. You're not the one who needs to prove anything. You've already shown him that you're good to him."

Anise looked up, tears still falling from her eyes. "That's what kills me the most. I know he could do right by me." Her sadness was slowly churning into anger. "But he just won't."


	6. Chapter 6

_"You think it's a good idea to be there by yourself?"_

She listened to her sister-in-law's soft voice speak on the other end, sighing to herself as she slowly made her way up the driveway.

"Good, no," Anise answered quietly. "But it's the necessary evil."

_"Well, just be careful. I need my sister to be here for me when I have this baby."_

Anise smiled softly at Cristine's words, remembering when she told them all she was pregnant just a couple of weeks ago.

"I ain't being kept away from that for nothing in this world," she said with a laugh.

_"Good,"_ Cristine said with a small laugh of her own. _"Anyway, I'll be a phone call away. These kids are being rowdy for their dinner now. I need to get steppin' soon."_

"Okay, well, I'll call back later. Tell Gun and Gia to behave."

After Cristine assured her that her twins were absolute angels, she turned off the truck, looking down at her phone. It was the only link she had to any help once Randy set his eyes on her. She knew he'd be home. Her cousins had suggested that she should have gone when he wasn't at their shared home, but to her, that wouldn't settle any issues. It would only skirt around the problems by hiding from him.

She didn't want to hide anymore. They all knew now a tiny bit of what she'd been silently suffering through. Sitting there for a quiet moment, she collected her thoughts. There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but she knew the second those cold blue eyes of his set sight on her, every word would be completely forgotten.

As she approached the house, she felt the breath escape her. She entered the familiar house, everything about it had her signature on it. Anyone would definitely know it belonged to Anise. She almost laughed to herself thinking about it. When she and Randy first started talking to each other, he promised her that he would allow her to do anything she wanted to the house that, at the time, belonged to only him. It was about the only promise he kept to her.

She stood in the kitchen after tossing her phone and wallet onto the counter. She would almost miss this place. She loved it, no doubt, but it just wasn't worth staying here if it meant she would constantly be hurt with him. She only came to retrieve her things and tell Randy that it was over.

"Tell me," his deep voice said from the darkness of the den.

Startled, she placed a hand on her chest. "Jesus, you scared me. Do you have to sit in here with the lights off like a fucking creeper?" She quickly stepped to the wall, flipping the lights on in the den, clearly seeing the smirk that graced Randy's face.

"I'm going to miss that quirkiness of yours, Anise."

"What?" she said, going back into the kitchen.

"Yeah," he said, standing and walking to where she stood at the kitchen island. "Didn't you come here to get your things, and to inform me that you're done with me?"

She watched him walk up to her. The way his muscles moved underneath the white shirt he wore, and the set of his shoulders as he stood in front of her with his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"You think you're fucking slick, don't you, Randy?" She placed a hand on her hip, leaning against the counter as she looked at him. "You're unbelievable."

"_I'm_ unbelievable?" he repeated, the smirk turning into a sarcastic grin. "What's unbelievable is the fact that you really think you're going to get away with this."

"Get away with what?" she scoffed out.

He grabbed her arm, pulling her body close to his. His voice was a low, threatening rumble as he spoke to her. "With thinking that I'll let you go. That I'll just let you leave. You must be out of your damn mind."

"Randy, stop," she said boldly, trying to push the fear back as she attempted to tug her arm from his hand.

"You're everything," he continued as if she never said anything, "that I've ever wanted, and I'll be damned if you think you're just going to pack up and leave everything we have. You may be your mother's child, but you're not going to be the bitch your mother was when she left Hardy for Jay."

"You motherfucker!" she shouted as she pushed him. She managed to slip her wrist out of his grasp before slapping him. "Don't you ever talk about my mom like that!" She pushed him again, satisfied when he stumbled backwards.

"It's true, Anise!" he said, holding the side of his face where her soft hands somehow stung his skin. "I remember hearing about it. She was sleeping with Jay even before she was divorced."

"Well, thank shit for me, because I don't have to deal with that." She pushed past him, disgusted with him too much to even want to look at him.

"Bullshit," he said following her as she made her way up the staircase. "You've got other guys. You just know how to hide them."

"You know, I almost wish that was true." She wrenched their closet door open, pulling down articles of clothing. "Then I would feel a little better at the simple fact that you didn't care to hide any of yours."

"Anise," he said before pulling on her arm. When she continued to slip out of his hands, full steam ahead as she shoved items into large suitcases, he grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her out of the closet.

"Get off!" she screamed out, her arms flailing around as she hoped for a hit to land. She didn't care if she hurt him. Not anymore. He had hurt her enough, and she was ready to fight back.

Randy felt her small, angry fists connect with his body. None of it affected him, they both knew, but he had to admire the courage she possessed right now. He finally let her go, swinging her by the legs so her body settled near the bed. The bed they shared for so many nights. Countless times of pure passion poured from them, and even through the horrible behavior that Randy exuded, she couldn't help but think of everything they shared together.

"Don't do this, Anise," he said, rubbing a large hand over his head. "Don't do this to yourself."

"Do this to myself?!" she asked, scrambling up to her feet. "_I'm_ doing this?"

"I don't want you to leave," he said, taking a hold of her hands in a more gentle manner.

"Oh please!" She snatched her hands from his, running her hand through her honey hair. "You've given me no other option, Randy! I have no other choice! I've tried, and I just can't... Can't fucking do it anymore."

She paced for a moment before sitting on the bed, sinking in the soft mattress. She knew Randy could hear the cries that were coming on, but she didn't care. She didn't care what he thought or what he wanted anymore.

"I don't want you to leave," he repeated quietly, kneeling in front of her. "Just listen to me."

"And what's it mean to me, Randy, when you've driven me to do this?" She held back the tears, the sadness turning into sarcastic bitterness. "What the fuck am I supposed to do with more apologies from you? Sew them all together and make a bullshit blanket?"

"I know you're mad at me, and I've done terrible things to you, but think about this, Anise." He rubbed her hands, knowing that he was soothing her nerves with just his touch. She gave into him so willingly, and she could never deny or run away from that.

"What's there to think about? You treat me like I'm nothing to you. What am I supposed to do with that? It's constant, every day. All the time, Randy."

He shook his head, seemingly understanding the pain she was in. His voice was cool and calm, like they didn't have a problem in the world. "I know, baby, but we have a family. Tell me that you don't want to just... walk away from us."

Her eyes snapped up to look at him. She hated him. For all he was worth. Their kids were about the only reason why she tried so hard to work it out with him at all, much less the countless times she took him back. Over and over. Again and again. It just didn't seem fair. To her, to the kids. He would trap her time and time again.

She wanted to fight him even more as he took a firm hold of her hand, pulling her soft body into his.

"Randy," she mumbled as she managed to push herself away. "Stop."

"Come on, Anise. Let me take you out. Somewhere you want to go." Using the tips of his fingers, he brought her face to his. "Anywhere."

She felt him lay the most gentle of a kiss on her lips. Her breath left her, giving way to a sigh. Hating the way the grin across his face widened when he realized she wasn't going to argue with him anymore, she turned away from him, noticing the mess of clothes she made.

"""""

"What do you think she's doing?" Murphy asked her sisters as she tapped her chin.

"Trailblazing it back here," Evelyn replied.

"I hope she beat the snot out of him first," Aurora commented, then sat down at the table with them, and briskly stirred her tea.

"Rorie!" Evelyn snorted out. "Two wrongs don't make a right, you know."

"To hell with that," Murphy said, waving her hand in the air. "He would deserve it, and I don't care what title he holds for papap. Nothing is worth him hurting Anise."

"Do you think he'll find out about Phil?" Evelyn asked, staring hard at the can of soda she had.

"What's there to know?" Aurora said. "Anise and Phil became close, yes, but they didn't do anything. I would imagine he's a good friend to her like Stephen is."

"Ah, yeah, but he wants more," Murphy said. "I must say, I think they'd be rather cute together. He's punky and she's spunky." She took a deep drink from her glass of water as her two sisters laughed.

"Too cute," Aurora said.

"Hey, girls."

The three looked in the direction of the voice, Aurora the first to greet.

"Hey, mom."

"Aren't you just about ready to pop?" Stephanie asked her as she stepped into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of tea.

Aurora rubbed her pregnant belly. "I'm like one of those balloons that's filled with balloons."

"Extra bubbly," Evelyn said, earning a sarcastic smirk from her eldest sister.

"Ha ha," she said. "I'd like to see how much you like being a swollen blimp."

Stephanie chuckled at the banter, seating herself down at the table with her daughters. "What are you all doing up so late?"

The trio of sisters fell silent, but they all knew their mother already knew.

"We're so worried about her," Evelyn calmly said.

Stephanie nodded her head. "So am I."

"Has she called aunt Vivy?" Murphy asked her mother, a glimmer of hope in her. But it was quickly defeated when she saw her mom shake her head.

"Not yet. I'm quite sure that one of you will be the first she calls though."

"Us or Cristine," Aurora added. The ladies nodded their head in agreement.

"Hey, how far along is she now?" Evelyn asked, desperately wanting to find a way for all their minds to stray away from the danger that Anise could be in. All any of them could hope for was for Anise to be safe, and for her to call them as soon as she could.

"Mmm, I think about two, three months?" Stephanie replied, pressing her lips together. "Not totally sure."

"Another baby Shawn," Murphy sighed out.

"What makes you think it's a boy?" Aurora asked.

"I don't," she answered. "But you can't tell me that Astrid doesn't look exactly like him."

"True," Aurora shrugged. "Mirror image. Twins, even."

The four ladies fell into normal, light conversation. However, the heaviness of Anise's situation silently stayed with them. It was over their heads, just out of their reach. It all seemed so simple, but they knew it was more complicated... deeper.


	7. Chapter 7

_ As she stepped off the plane, Anise knew she wouldn't hear the end of it. Her aunt had reserved her a flight out, however that flight was also headed directly towards his home town. What Stephanie didn't know was that Anise had made arrangements to fly in with Randy. Seeing how Randy was thought to be traveling with the roster, she knew her aunt didn't mean anything by it. There was no hidden message. No secrecy. It was just a simple misunderstanding._

_ "So, you're going to blame me?" Randy asked her as he slammed the driver door shut to the rental they had._

_ "No," she said, becoming more flustered each second. "I'm just saying, I didn't know that she would do that."_

_ "Oh, so you didn't know that Steph would book you a flight to Chicago so that you could see your boyfriend?" he sarcastically commented, nodding his head. "I get it."_

_ She swallowed heavily after a more than frustrated breath leaving her body. He wasn't going to listen to her, so she wasn't going to bother. And as they drove down the highway in silence, she couldn't help but wonder if she should tell her husband that she had feelings for another man. As far as Randy really knew, there was nothing going on. Anise and Phil were simply just friends. They confided in each other, talked about the issues they were having. But it never went any further than that._

_ Not that Phil hadn't tried. He asked her on several occasions why she was really still with Orton. When she told him that it was the kids, he quickly dismissed it, saying that her children were well taken care of. That they shouldn't be the only glue holding a family together, and that if they were, problems would arise from that as well. He also told her that he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to control himself around her, especially when he so easily let her inside of his mind. It was so easy for them to open up to each other, the outside world was forgotten about._

_ He was the first person that she admitted her secret to. Yet, finding out she had married Orton didn't stop Phil from speaking to her. He only wanted to know why she submit herself to him. For that, she didn't have an answer. She only knew that she didn't want to anymore, and that Phil may possibly be the light at the end of the tunnel._

_ The vehicle stopped at a red light, but she hardly noticed, and she barely noticed the smile across her face. But when she felt Randy's glare come over to her, it quickly faded._

_ "You're thinking about him, aren't you?"_

_ Her lips thinned out. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_ Randy chuckled, slowly shaking his head. "You're really playing me for a fool, aren't you?" He continued driving to their destination, thoughts of his wife being with not just another man, but that... punk. "I'll just ask him when we get to the arena. Shouldn't be that hard to get a straight answer from him."_

_ She pressed herself closer against the car door, not even daring to look at him. She knew Phil wouldn't tell him anything. He absolutely despised Randy, and not just because of what he's done to Anise. It was well known within the company that Phil thought Randy to be a spoiled spawn of the devil, and Anise was glad that she wasn't the total reason why he disliked Randy. No, she wasn't afraid of Phil saying anything that would incriminate either of them._

_ But she was scared that Phil would admit to having feelings for her. That would send him to the slaughter house faster than anything else. And her... well, she didn't even want to imagine. When Phil told her that he felt something for her, that dark cloud was now hanging over her. The blackened cloud of Randy harming him. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if Randy hurt someone just because they were involved with her. She didn't want anyone else to hurt._

"""""

She woke up feeling sore, but oddly enough, it was a good kind of sore. An incessant ringing was the only noise that filled her ears. That, however, was shattered when she heard the door nearly splinter against the wall. She jumped up in the bed, taking the sheets with her naked body, startled as she looked towards the doorway. Randy had flung the door open so hard, she was sure a piece of it was broken. But the door was not her concern as the man she called her husband made his way to her.

He didn't say anything as he reached for her. She instinctively moved away from him, but he caught her anyway, pulling on her and dragging her out of the bed. With his arm around her upper body, her legs and feet were the last thing to slide off the bed, causing her to fall as he carelessly dropped her to the floor. With an exasperated breath, she clutched the sheet closer to her body.

"Why is he calling you?"

His voice was so low that she barely heard him. Looking up at him, she saw that he held her cell phone in his hand. _Phil's ring tone,_ she thought. _Shit._

"I-I don't know."

Randy backed away from her, all but laughing. He came back to her, pulling her up to stand on her feet. She struggled against him, but her efforts were stilled as the back of his hand came crashing down across her face. It caught the side of her mouth, her top lip being instantly cut open by not only the force, but a ring. His wedding ring.

"Why the _fuck_ is he calling you?" Randy asked again, shaking her. When she didn't answer at all, the urge to hurt her was overwhelming. That incredible desire, the impulse, to try and control her was too much. His entire body was shaking out of anger, out of rage, and out of the fear that he was really losing her.

"Randy," she breathed out. "I don't know."

When she looked up at him with those hazel eyes, he couldn't see himself in them anymore. He had to think back to the love they made just the night before. Was she just for him anymore? Had she given herself to another? She stood before him, unclothed, the sheet barely hanging onto her. In fact, if he wasn't gripping her, he was certain the sheet would drop. He was certain she would fall too.

"Do you love him?" he asked, softness breaking through the harsh tone. He watched as she shook her head slightly. "Tell me, Anise. Do you love him?"

"I-I – " She stopped herself. She couldn't tell him. Not to save his ego, or even her life. But for Phil. Nothing else mattered. If Randy wanted to, he could very well end her.

"Answer me!"

"I can't," she muttered. She could see him snap. His eyes widened, glazed over with fury. The way his jaw set, and how the rest of him followed suit. She knew this was coming, which is why she wanted to come here alone in the first place. She couldn't allow anyone else to see what he did.

"""""

Phil sat in the conference room, thumbing through his phone again. It was strange to him that she hadn't replied to anything he text to her. Even if Orton had her locked up, she would usually find a lapse in the time frame he kept watch on her. As he heard the doors to the room open, he looked up, seeing Stephanie and Vivian walk in together. He listened carefully, paying attention to everything they said.

"She was supposed to be back by now," Vivian sighed out.

Bringing his sight back down to busying himself with his phone, he heard his boss speak.

"Yeah," Stephanie said with a sigh of her own. "Maybe she worked things out with Randy. You think?"

_Bullshit,_ Phil thought. No, he didn't know the entire story, but he knew enough. He knew that Randy could care less about making Anise happy.

"Maybe," Vivian said with a shrug. "But that still doesn't explain why she's not called any of us. I mean, don't you think if they did work things out, she would have told us?"

Phil couldn't listen to them anymore. Didn't they know how much danger she was in? Even trying to justify the monstrous actions of the man that called himself husband to Anise was making Phil mad. He knew Anise wanted to get out of their so-called marriage. But she was stuck, completely unsure of what to do with her situation, and unable to do anything without Randy knowing her every move.

Standing, he left the conference room. He didn't need to be there for another forty-five minutes. Why he always came early was unknown to him. It's not like any of these mindless people ever knew what the hell was really going on around here. Finding an area that wasn't in use by anyone, he pulled out his phone again to call her.

He waited a few short rings, his breath caught as the phone was answered. "Anise?" His ears perked up as he heard instinctive silence. Someone ended the call.


	8. Chapter 8

"How many times, Anise!" Randy yelled at her. "How many times has your boyfriend fucking called you!"

"No!" she screamed out, trying to take her phone from his hand. "No, Randy."

The sobbing caught in her chest, unable to breathe as she felt him touch her. He had chased her from the bedroom where she quickly dressed, down the stairs to where they now stood in the kitchen. She couldn't even count how many times his hands landed on her in pure anger. The rage powering his body right now had been too much for her to deal with.

"You want to talk to him?" he mocked, grabbing her arm violently. "Huh? You want him to make you feel better?"

"No," she cried out. "Please."

He twisted her arm, making her scream out in pain again. Her face was all but destroyed... cheeks bruised, lips cut, blood routing its way down to her shirt. Her body had all the tell-tale signs of being abused. Her arms had defense wounds, and even her legs showcased a few good bruises from where he roughly grabbed them.

Still, she fought with him. And over what? The man that she now wanted to be with. The idea of it filled him with anger. The sole thought of Anise not being just his woman... He couldn't handle it. He couldn't stomach the idea of her not being his anymore. She couldn't give herself to anyone else. She was _supposed_ to be his.

His concentration on her was broken by her phone ringing again. When he felt her jerk away from him, backing herself up to the den, he looked at her.

"You love him," he said. It was more of a statement than a question now. "And you want to be with him. To raise _my_ children with him."

She swallowed hard, a hand wiping away tears from her swollen, bruised eye. "No."

"Bullshit, Anise."

"I can't do this anymore," she said. She tried to stop her crying, her chest heaving with the words she spoke. "This back and forth. Over and over again, you hurt me. You just don't care, and you never have. I don't know why you wanted me to begin with when you just weren't going to give a shit."

"I don't give a shit?" he asked, walking up to her, the phone still clutched in his hand. "Don't tell me I don't give a shit when it's _you_ that has someone else."

"You've always had other women, Randy."

"They didn't replace you," he defended, not being able to deny the fact.

"They were still there!" she shouted at him, attempting to keep him at arm's length. "How fucking dare you think I have someone else when you were never mine to begin with!"

"Anise – "

"No!" She stopped him from becoming any closer to her, punching at his chest as hard as she possibly could at the moment. Her dull fists colliding with him barely affected him. "No, stay away!"

He watched as she backed away from him, shrinking inside of herself, her hand kept up to her mouth as she sobbed. The phone beeped, a sign of a new voice mail. He stared at it for a long moment, but before he could even decide to listen to the voice messages, it was ringing once more.

"Yeah?" Randy harshly answered. When he heard Phil on the other end, he could feel his body burn with anger, from his toes to the top of his head. "I'm afraid she's busy right now. You'll have to call back – "

_"Put her on right now!"_

Anise's head snapped up to where Randy stood holding her phone to his ear. Phil's voice was so loud that even she could hear him, and could hear the wrath in the Chicago native's voice. Randy let out a chuckle before he spoke again, somewhat shocked by the man's brazen attitude.

"You think I'm just going to let my wife talk to another man, Phil?" he questioned, rubbing the top of his head with his hand. "Because I think you know that I'm not. And if you also think that I'm just going to... sit back and watch her be pulled away from me by a gutless punk like you, then you're sadly mistaken."

Anise watched Randy, waiting breathlessly. Randy and Phil talking, even through the phone, was never good. This would end badly.

"Oh, is that so? Oh, okay, well I'll just have you know that none of you will ever see her again."

She felt her swollen eye twitch. What was that supposed to mean? Would finally getting out of this relationship with Randy really mean death for her? She didn't know... Didn't want to know. And she continued to hold her breath steady as he remained where he was. She had no idea what he was going to do next. Would he come after her? Would he leave?

He looked at her, his blue eyes nearly blackened by his rage. His jaw was squared, his lips thinned, and although he moved slowly towards her, she couldn't help but feel like he was racing towards her. Every moment that she spent around him was torture anymore. Every movement he made was unpredictable, unreliable, and utterly ruthless. Their relationship was hanging by a single thread, and what made her hurt worse than anything else was the fact that he seemed completely uncaring about the two lives that they created together.

She stood up straight, waiting for him to grab her. Waiting for him to continue the beating he had been handing out to her for what seemed like the entire morning. The hell that he had created for her in this home. The home that they were supposed to have together. When he stopped in his tracks, she tilted her head, studying him carefully. She gasped, jumping when he suddenly turned and threw the device against the wall, leaving the wall slightly damaged and the phone broken into several pieces.

That was her only lifeline. She went to the phone, picking up the cracked pieces. She had nothing left to save her. Randy was standing a few feet away, looking on as she cleaned up the bits of plastic. Tears had started rolling down her delicate face, and he couldn't help but feel like she was crying more over not being able to talk to _him_ than her phone being destroyed.

"What are you crying for, Anise?" he asked her, mocking her sobs. "Can't talk to your boyfriend anymore?"

She tried swallowing the cries that left her throat. "He... is... not my boyfriend, Randy." She took the fragments to the kitchen, hastily tossing them into the trash can.

"Oh, but you want him to be? Don't you?"

She didn't want to look at him. He disgusted her. He made her feel sick to the very bottom of her stomach. Phil, on the other hand, was the breath of fresh air in her life. Phil was something she didn't want to taint with her soured life.

"No," she hoarsely answered. "I wouldn't want to bring him into this rotten shit you've done."

Randy's palm connected to her face faster than she registered. With unimaginable speed, he had grabbed onto her hair, pulling her out of the kitchen and towards the staircase.

"Shit, huh?" he spat out as he brutally pulled her up the stairs, his hand still rooted in her hair.

"No, Randy!" she screamed out, her hands trying to pry his fingers away. "Randy!" Her legs flailed around, her feet unable to get any traction on the carpet as he continued pulling her up the steps. By the time she could feel solid ground underneath her bare feet, she felt herself being thrown into a room, and heard the door slam shut behind Randy.

"""""

"Motherfucker!" Phil shouted as he impatiently pressed the elevator button again.

"What's wrong, Phil?"

He turned around to see the middle Levesque daughter. Her eyes filled with concern as she pulled a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"It's Anise," he replied shortly, turning back towards the elevator. "She's not answering her phone."

"Well, she's with Randy."

"Yeah, exactly," he said as he quickly stepped into the elevator. She followed him inside, and he could see the panic on her face.

"She hasn't answered you at all?" she asked.

He shook his head, looking down at the phone in his hand. "It was answered," he told Murphy. "Although it was Randy I spoke to, and I didn't like what he had to say. I'm going to tell your dad that I'll be going to get her. She's not safe, Murph."

"We know," Murphy said in a solemn tone, looking up at the red numbers. She sighed when the elevator beeped. "She told us about what's been going on."

They stepped off the elevator, walking towards her father's office together.

"Believe me, there's more," he said. "Why did she even go back? And by herself?"

Murphy stopped him as they stood outside of the office door, placing a hand gently on his arm.

"There's just some things that we need to deal with on our own. We tried to get her to stay with one of us, and tried to tell her that we'd go with her. But she refused our help."

"What's going on?" Paul's voice made their attention snap towards the now open office door.

"I need to go," Phil simply said.


	9. Chapter 9

He half expected Vince and Paul to disagree with him leaving. He didn't have any titles, but he was in main events, and in a very intense storyline. However, before Stephanie and Vivian even put their word in, Paul had arranged his departure. Murphy was sitting beside him, driving their rental, high-tailing it down the highway. He would have preferred to do this alone, but having someone else there for Anise's sake was best. He didn't know the way to Randy's house either.

She tried keeping the conversation light, turning up a few songs to sing along to. Despite him falling into whatever she talked about with interest, his thoughts always moved back to Anise. When Murphy announced that they were just a half hour away from the house, he became completely silent. Strangling the life out of Orton was the only idea in his mind. He knew there was something going on, even at these passing moments.

He also knew that while Anise had confided in him, telling him things that she would never want to tell her family, that she was also holding things back from him as well. He thought back to the first time he talked to her. She had been pregnant with her twins, barely even showing, and at the time, not married to Orton. Phil wished that he could go back in time and become something more to her. Become the man that she needed. The man who wanted to be with her. If he had made his move back then, perhaps she wouldn't have felt it necessary to stay with Orton.

Murphy's voice pulled him out of his deep thoughts, and he looked straight forward at the house on the top of the driveway.

"This is it," she said quietly. She parked, quickly turning the engine off and tossing the keys inside of her bag. "You can do whatever you want to Randy, but I'm getting Nise out of there as quickly as possible."

Phil nodded his head, slowly opening his door. He followed Murphy to a side door in the open garage. Before they could even step inside of the house, they heard Anise's voice.

_"Randy, get off!"_

_ "No,"_ they heard Randy say. _"You think you're just going to leave?"_

_ "I don't think it. I am going to."_

Phil gently pushed himself past Murphy, hopping his way up the short set of steps and into the house.

"Anise!" he called out, finding himself walking in a hallway that connected to what he believed was a family room. The kitchen in front of him, and that's where he saw Anise, dressed in a white tank top stained with red, and a pair of jean shorts. Randy, who looked at him with hatred, had her wrist in his hand. Randy's expression twisted into a sick laugh as he dropped her arm.

"Look who we have here," Randy started saying. "The man of the hour. The hero of everyone he knows." He stood in the view of Anise, blocking Phil from seeing her. "Mr. Brooks, welcome to my home."

"You're a piece of shit, Orton," Phil said, standing still. Murphy made her way from behind him, a stern look on her face.

"Oh, he brought back up too. Your boyfriend and your cousin here to finally rescue you, Anise?"

"Murphy!" Anise called out, her hand reaching out in their direction. But the joy of them coming to get her was short-lived as Randy turned his body to face her, his hand coming down hard on her face. He quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from falling.

"Anise!" Murphy said. In the amount of time it took for her to register that she actually saw Randy hit Anise, Phil had jumped on Randy, his forearm connecting with Randy's face.

"Get out of here, Anise!" Phil shouted.

"Phil, stop it! Please" Anise screamed. She felt Murphy's arms around her, pulling her away from the men. "Please, don't do this, Phil!"

He pushed himself away from Randy, making his way to Anise.

"Don't do this to him!" he shouted. "When he's doing it to you?!"

"Come on," Murphy said, pulling Anise by the hand and to the side door. As she led them back out to the car, she saw Phil approach Randy one more time.

"This is for all you've done to her," he said, landing a devastating fist directly on Randy's nose. "I promise you that you'll never touch her again."

Murphy placed Anise in the back seat, sitting with her until Phil reached the car. It was a sad, silent way watching him slide into the seat next to her. Shutting the door, she went to the driver's side. Seeing the house fade in the rear view mirror as they drove away left her with a sigh of relief, and her vision then connected with the sight of her cousin and Phil. He cradled her in his arms. She desperately clung to him as if breathing depended on him, crying into his chest.

She didn't like the way Anise's clothes seemed splattered in blood. The bottom of the tank top she wore was stretched out, blood and wetness soaking it. Looking back into the mirror, she saw Anise pull on the shirt again, wiping away the tears from her eyes.

"No, no," Phil gently whispered to her. "Don't do that."

He grabbed up a handful of tissues from a small box in the console, softly patting at her face. Murphy watched with a broken heart as Anise winced as he wiped at her cuts.

"Thank you," Anise quietly said, her tears slowly stopping as they reached the highway.

Murphy put her attention on driving, hating what would happen next. When the rest of them saw Anise, hell would break loose. She didn't care about Randy, but she couldn't do that to Anise. She didn't need to feel the weight of I-told-you-so's crashing down on her. Without another thought, she tapped in the city of Chicago on her GPS. There was no way Anise was ever coming back to St. Louis alone.

"""""

Anise watched as Murphy flitted around Phil's apartment some more. In the few hours they had been there, Murphy had taken to cleaning up Anise, fixing up the cuts and abrasions that marked her body. Though they had talked about various things, Murphy obviously trying to keep Randy from everyone's mind, Anise knew that Phil would want to talk. He sat on top of the kitchen counter, patiently waiting for his alone time with Anise.

"If you need me," Murphy said as she snapped her bag shut, "just call. I'll head back to the headquarters just to tell everyone where you are. I'll also keep them at bay while you enjoy some down time."

"Thanks, Murph," Anise quietly said. She watched as Murphy slung the strap of her leather bag over her shoulder, the appreciation she held for her older cousin setting deep. When she felt Murphy's arms embrace her, she knew things would be okay. "I love you. Thank you."

"I love you too, and no need to thank me, Nise," she whispered, sitting down next to Anise on the couch in Phil's living room. "That's what we're here for, my dear. You don't ever have to suffer alone."

Anise hugged her for a minute longer before finally letting go. Murphy rubbed her back before standing.

"Whew, okay," Murphy sighed out. "Now that that's over, you two relax." Walking over to Phil, she also gave him a hug, whispering in his ear. "Thanks for doing this."

"Not a problem," he quietly told her. "She's a very special girl."

"Indeed," Murphy agreed with a nod of her head. She pulled away from him, straightening the strap on her shoulder before walking over to his front door. "I'll tell them what's going on with you, Phil. I'm sure they'll figure something out."

Murphy turned to wave to Anise, and then she was gone out the door. Phil walked over, locking it behind her.

"You hungry?" he asked Anise as he headed back into the kitchen.

She shook her head slightly, her lips twisting into a grateful smile. "No, thanks."

Resigning from attempting to get a probably well-needed meal into her at the moment, he made his way over to the couch, sitting on the opposite end. His fingers drummed on the plastic cup of soda he was holding, waiting for any signs of her to open up. She had been extremely quiet, even while talking with Murphy. Her voice had been soft, timid even. He would hate to think that Orton had broken her that badly.

Phil looked up at her, seeing the way she had drawn her knees up and tucked her head down. He knew she wanted to hide. Not only did she not want to be there, with him, she didn't want to be anywhere. He would bet she would just disappear from the world if she could, and to think that someone so beautiful could ever want to just vanish... It made his hatred towards her husband grow even more.

Yet the hatred vanished itself when those amazing hazel eyes set themselves on him. Everything about her reminded him of honey. The smoothness of her tan skin. The soft fullness of her honey colored hair. And those eyes... Some of the sky met with the golden honey of her being. He had never seen such captivating eyes before, and every time he looked into them, he had to wonder why any one would want to see pain in them.

"Clearly he doesn't know how beautiful you are," he said in a whisper so low, he barely heard himself.

Her head picked up to his words. "What?"

His eyes dropped down before closing, a grin crossing his mouth. When he opened his eyes again, his stare fell into the cup he was holding, the sweet, dark liquid still popping a few bubbles around the sides.

"Nothing," he said, dismissing himself, placing his cup on the coffee table. "I'll get your room ready."

"I'll get a hotel room," she said quickly as she watched him stand. He was half way past the back of the couch when she spoke, but he wasn't sure he heard her correctly.

"I'm sorry, did you say you'd get a hotel room?" When she nodded, nervously biting on her lip, he shook his head and crossed his arms over his muscular chest. "A hotel room?"

"I don't want to impose myself on you," she said. "I figured after Murphy left, I'd just leave."

His head tilted to the side, a look on his face that she couldn't quite read. He almost looked angry, but it wasn't the angered face that Randy usually had with her. No, this one was more of being upset.

"You think that I'm just going to let you be on your own," he said, walking up to her. "With what you went through? Murphy obviously had her reasons in bringing you here. Believe me, that was none of my doing." He held his hands up in front of him.

"Yeah, but I don't want to make it out like you need to take care of me now. You're so busy, Phil. You barely get any sleep, you're working so much, and I just don't want to add to that."

He just looked at her, his eyes focused not on the cuts and bruises, but the beauty that she was. She sat on his couch, sunken into herself, and still the most gorgeous being he'd ever met. The will she had was beyond him, and dealing with all she had on her shoulders was something that he was having a difficult time grasping. And all she was dealing with, she still wanted to be on her own.

"I'll get your room ready," he said again before walking into the hallway.

"Phil," she said, but he didn't respond to her as he disappeared into the first room. She stood, making her way to the door of the bedroom. "You don't have to do this."

He tilted his head, a smirk on his lips. "Yeah, but I'm going to anyway." Carefully, he pushed past her, walking back into the hallway.

"Phil, stop," she said, spinning around to follow him. When he pulled down a couple of fluffy blankets from the closet in the hallway, she shook her head. "I don't need all that."

"It's going to get cold," he stubbornly said, taking the blankets with him back into the bedroom.

She turned and leaned on the door frame. "You think I don't know cold?"

"Oh, yeah," he grinned. "I forgot, miss Connecticut-Cananda baby."

"Ha ha," she said, crossing her arms under her chest. "My mom is from Jersey, you know. Not Connecticut."

"Well," he said, standing up straight from organizing something under the bed. "You learn something new every day."

She watched him neatly pile the blankets next to the bed, a smile on her face from the comfort she found in him. It was odd to her to have found a friend in Phil. He never really spoke to her until the whole situation with Randy went down. She was definitely grateful for everything he was doing for her now, but she still didn't want to make herself any type of burden to him, especially when he left for the road again. Shifting her weight to the other leg, she sighed out.

"I'm going to take a shower," she told him. "I still feel grimy."

He walked up to her, gently touching her chin with his fingertips. "Take all the time you need, honey." Resisting the urge to rest his lips on hers, he backed himself into the hallway, putting a good amount of space between them. "Towels are in the closet in the bathroom."

"Thanks," she nearly whispered, nodding her head. He walked backwards a few steps before turning to walk away, giving her some well-needed alone time.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** New update finally. I hope you all enjoy, and thank you for reading._

Her morning shower never felt so good. After one of the best nights of sleep she had in weeks, she woke up early, immediately jumping right into the shower. She was sure that Phil was still sleeping considering his bedroom door was still shut. She was glad to be around him. The breath of fresh air he provided her was welcoming. Not thinking about her problems was refreshing in itself, but to have someone around who could share the feelings of falling on difficult times... Well, it was priceless.

All thoughts of Randy pushed out of her mind, she quickly rinsed her body, shutting off the shower. Blindly grabbing for the towel she placed on the rack next to the shower, she dried off, then wrapped the towel around her sore body. Stepping out of the shower, she heard the door begin to open up. Her head snapped towards the knob, knowing that it had to be Phil. Before she could say anything, the door was swung open, Phil's face glazing over with embarrassment.

"I'm so sorry," he said promptly, but didn't move from his position.

She bit back a laugh, nodding her head down at him. "You're still looking."

"Oh, yeah," he said in a low voice. "Sorry."

Another few moments passed without a movement from him.

"Phil," she called out, his glaze looking up towards her face. "Still here."

"Going," he said, his eyes dropping down to her smooth legs one last time before turning in the doorway, pulling the door shut as he left.

Shaking her head in amusement, she headed to her designated room to change. When she dressed, she joined him out in his living room.

"I'm sorry, Anise," he said as she sat next to him on the couch. "I didn't think you'd be up."

"It's okay," she told him. "I thought you were still sleeping."

Nodding, he mumbled his words. "I go out for a short run in the mornings."

"Breakfast?" she said, standing and heading into the kitchen.

"Sure," he said with an amused look on his face. He knew she was hurting inside and out, but her actions were speaking volumes. They were saying all the things that she couldn't. And to have gone through such a vicious relationship with someone, he had to admit – her fire seemed impossible to put out.

When they were done with breakfast, Anise insisting on cleaning up with him, they were quietly sitting in this living room. The television was on with the volume down real low, Anise with a cup of coffee, quietly reading something on her phone. And there he sat on the chair next to the couch she was sitting on, his mind going in twenty different directions about her. Certainly there was a definite reason as to why she somehow was landed with him... other than her abusive husband.

He was never the one for the meaning of life. Things just were. But with Anise... He had to think a little differently on this one. Not because it boggled him that she stayed with Orton, but because he felt a deeper connection with her. The only question in his mind now was, did she feel the same?

"You look like you're about two seconds away from exploding."

Her sweet voice wafted through his thoughts, blurring them. "Hmm?"

"What you thinking about so hard?" she asked, head in her hand.

His lips parted, a grin crossing his face. He wouldn't tell her. Not now anyway.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head. "It's nothing."

She looked at him cautiously before nodding. "Okay."

He tried resisting the urge to look at her, but couldn't help himself. She noticed him, she would have had to. Hiding things wasn't exactly his thing. Her eyes connected with his, a smile coming over her plump lips, and she stood. Sighing out, she sat down next to him, resting her elbow on the back of the couch.

"What is it, Phil? You stare at me any harder and I'll have your eyeballs tattooed on my forehead." A laugh escaped him as he lowered his stare from her. She gently tapped him on the leg. "Tell me. What's on your mind?"

"I'll tell if you tell," he quickly said.

Placing her head into the palm of her hand, she raised an eyebrow at him. "And what is it that you would like to know about me?"

He thought of his words carefully, not wanting to chase her away.

"Well," he started slowly. "What would a beautiful woman want with such a sardonic, brutal vision of a man, is what I'd like to know."

She sighed, her head dropping down sadly. "I didn't think he would be that way. I was stupid though," she said, her golden eyes meeting his darkened ones, the humor completely gone from them. "I had early signs of him being like this, and I completely ignored them."

"Then your twins," he indicated, wanting to know more.

"The kids were totally unplanned. I'm not saying I didn't want them, but I really didn't plan on staying with Randy."

"And that's why you married him, right?"

"Oh, Phil," she scoffed out, standing from the couch. "Don't make it out like I told him to be this way, because I didn't."

"Of course you didn't, but you still remained with him." He tried toning down the annoyance in his voice, but that just wasn't happening. "When he started smacking you around, you should have – "

"I should have what? Punched him back?"

He jumped up from the couch at her defiance against common sense.

"You should have walked away!" He approached her, the passion of her safety written all over his face. Gently taking her hands into his, he softened his tone. "You should have thought more highly of yourself than to just be his punching bag."

"I know you care, and believe me, I'm thankful for you," she told him. "But I need to figure this out on my own. It's not as easy as everyone thinks, especially with kids."

"Fine," he said, dropping her hands. Running his own hand through his hair, he let the sarcastic tone back into his voice. "Just tell me one thing, and I'll leave it alone."

"What?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Did you ever love him?" He noticed the telling look on her face. "I mean _really_ love him."

"I felt things for him, yes."

"But not love," Phil stated.

"Why do you want to know? What does this have anything to do with you?"

"You're right it doesn't," he said defensively. Backing away from her, he headed towards the hallway. "I just wanted to know why someone like him is able to have someone who clearly isn't deserving of his shit."

She was left to stand in his living room, his words churning in her mind. He knew he was right, but he couldn't make her see that. She was right about one thing though... It was something she would have to realize on her own. As he shut his bedroom door, he just hoped that she would allow him to help her get through this.

"""""

"Phil, eh?"

She laid sarcastic eyes on Stephen.

"It's not what you think."

"But you're traveling with him now, huh?"

Anise bobbed her head. "Well, yeah, but only because they want me around someone they trust."

Stephen swallowed his food, giving thought to what he was to say next. He didn't know much about how Orton treated her, and honestly, he didn't want to know. If he did, he would find himself beating the life out of the man. It was just best if he skirted around the meat of the story.

"Does he know?"

Anise paused at his question, the forkful of chicken salad held in the air as she thought.

"I don't know," she finally answered. "I'm not going to stay on the road for long."

Stephen pushed around his steak a bit before taking another forkful. "You know not telling him is only going to make things worse."

"Probably, but he doesn't need to know. The less he knows what I'm doing, the better off I'll be at the end of this."

Stephen nodded, agreeing. "So you are really ending it then, yeah?"

"Could I really stay?" she questioned rhetorically. "I mean, honestly, I would just end up as another statistic. A beaten and broken housewife with the only light of life in her being her kids. And when they've grown up, I'm really fucked over."

A smile slowly brightened Stephen's face.

"There's that fighter in you."

"Anise!"

Both she and Stephen looked towards the double doors of the catering area to see Stephanie frantically walking towards where they were eating.

"You have to come with me," Stephanie said without another thought. "Right now."

"What's going on?" Anise asked, not hesitating to jump up as her aunt grabbed her hand. Stephanie seemed to be at loss for words as the minutes crawled by. Anise remained quiet though as her aunt led her down the winding hallways. When they finally came to a stop, they were standing outside along side the area where the buses were parked.

"It's Randy," Stephanie began, not being distracted at all by Stephen stopping behind them.

"I thought he wasn't supposed to be here," Stephen said.

"He's not," Stephanie replied quickly. "He's in St. Louis, but he's got the twins, Nise, and he won't let Vivian come get them."

"But he has to!" Anise said, going towards the bus her mother and father traveled in. "Mom."

Vivian was sitting on the couch on the couch, holding her phone to her ear, and she looked like she wanted to be in tears. Anise waited until she finished with her phone call before sitting next to her.

"The kids are fine," Vivian told her daughter after tossing her phone down. "But Randy won't let any of us take them."

"He's gotta come back on the road," Anise said. "I don't understand what he thinks he's doing."

"Your father went to get them, calling about a half an hour ago, saying that Randy refused to let him pick them up."

"Tell her, Vivy," Stephanie said, standing before them as she rubbed her arms, a worried look plastered on her face.

"What?" Anise questioned, looking between her aunt and her mother. "Tell me what?"

Vivian took a deep breath, rubbing her forehead as she tried to ease her nerves.

"Randy told your dad that he wouldn't allow them to be picked up unless you agreed to go back."

"Go back? I can't go back!"

"No, no," Vivian said, taking her daughter's hand into hers, shaking her head. "We don't want you to."

"There's gotta be a way around this," Stephen commented behind Stephanie.

"What's going on?"

Anise looked up, watching as her aunt turned her head to see Phil stepping up onto the bus. Anise stood, pushing her way past her aunt and Stephen.

"Nothing," she said to them all, but kept her eyes on Phil. "I'll figure this out myself."

"Anise," Vivian called out.

"Nise!" Stephanie said at the same time.

Phil kept his stare on her as she went back into the building. He didn't like the feeling he got from her, not one bit. She was going to do something stupid, something that she shouldn't do. But for what? And at what cost?

"""""

"Listen to me, Anise," Randy calmly said to her as she gathered things to place into the bag for her children.

"What?" she asked, annoyed by his overly-calm demeanor. "What do you want to say to me?"

"I want to tell you," he said, holding his hands up, trying to anchor her hostility towards him, "that I want you to come back, and I want us to be a family."

"You want us to be a family," she repeated. "Right, that's why you didn't want to let my dad pick up the kids, knowing that you have to be back onto the road in a few days."

"I want them here, with us, like they should be. Your parents don't need to have them constantly."

"What are you talking about, Randy? Who else is going to watch them? You're on the road most of the year, and I haven't been able to come back here without you beating the shit out of me when you are here! So tell me, where else are they going to go?" She crossed her arms over her chest, now annoyed that she was in his presence at all.

"Just listen," he said, reaching to touch her. "I'm scripted to lose the belt, and because of that, I asked for a few weeks off."

"Why?"

"I would like us to take some time together, maybe go on a vacation. Just me, you, and the kids. That's it, Anise." He moved closer to her, his hand still held out. "You've been away from me for entirely way too long."

"And that's how it's going to stay," she bitterly said. "We're no longer together, Randy. I'm sorry that you want to play family now, but it's too late. Maybe if you put some effort in that a few months ago, this wouldn't be happening."

"Anise – "

"When you go back onto the road," she interrupted him. "I will be taking the kids. They'll be with me."

"You mean, with you and Phil, right?"

"He has nothing to do with this."

"But you're fucking him now," Randy stated bluntly.

"That's none of your business." She pushed by him, but he steadily grabbed her arm, bringing her back to him.

"I don't care if you think that by getting your boyfriend to punch me in my face, that it was your free-to-go card. You are still my wife," he growled out.

Snatching her hand away from him, she bit out some words of her own. "Not for much longer."

Dropping his arm, he let her walk away from him. He didn't believe her. He was the building block of her life now. There was no way that she'd really leave him. As soon as she figured out that Brooks wasn't the super hero that he made himself out to be... Or better yet, when he found another muse to occupy him... Anise would be right back by his side.


	11. Chapter 11

"Why don't you just stay here until you can go back home?"

Anise looked up at Phil, her tired eyes giving him a gentle smile.

"Two kids in this place?" she simply asked.

Tilting his head to the side, he made his way to sit next to her on the couch, a grin on his face. "Well, I think it's rather comfy."

She closed her eyes, laying her head on his shoulder. "Some people always think it's fun having kids around for a day or so."

"I don't know if it'll be fun," he said, smoothing his hand over her hair. "But at least you'll be safe."

She picked her head up, exhaling deeply. "I just need to get a place of my own. Then we'll be fine."

He saw the sorrow on her face, knowing she didn't want to have to leave the father of her kids. A part of him knew that she wanted to stay with him. She didn't want to break up her family. To have her children grow up rarely being around their father. He was sure it wasn't what she envisioned her life being. But what other option did one have when they were being beaten down on such a daily basis... When all they saw from their other half was fury and rage.

He looked down at his lap, wondering to himself if he should even tell her once again how he felt about her. When he looked back into her eyes, he momentarily lost himself.

"I thought you were going to go back to him," he quietly said.

Her eyebrows knitted together. "Why would I do that?"

"Mad at me?" he asked, his own eyebrows shooting up. A small laugh rumbled in his chest when she shook her head.

"I can't be mad at someone who cares so much."

"I open my big mouth too much."

She shook her head again, leaning closer to him as she folded her legs underneath her. "You care," she whispered, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I appreciate that you care."

Feeling her gentle breath set his nerves on fire. The scent of her wafting over him, taking over every one of his senses. Brushing his lips over hers only seemed natural, and when she didn't protest, pulling her soft, warm body into his seemed to instinctively come over him.

An airy moan left her, snapping his mind back into the reality of the situation. Regretfully, he pulled away from her. Turning away from her, he stared at his hands as he calmed his breathing.

"Where does this leave us?"

Anise forced herself not to look at him, swinging her legs out from underneath her. "Best friends?"

He couldn't help the smile on his face. He brought her close once more, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"You take my room tonight," he told her. "I'll sleep on the couch."

"""""

Vivian sighed, feeling slightly tired as she sank down onto the couch next to Stephanie.

"Nise talk to you?" Stephanie asked her.

"Yeah." She twisted the top back onto her water bottle, setting it down between the two of them. "She said she wanted to tell us something."

Stephanie nodded her head. "That's what she told me, too."

"Hey, what's going on?"

They looked up to see Jay come into the small room.

"Anise wants to tell us something," Stephanie informed him. "The girls are even coming down."

"What is it?" he asked, taking a seat next to Vivian. She accepted a kiss from him before answering.

"You know just as much as we do. We're just waiting for everyone else."

"""""

Anise stood outside of the door, her nerves being completely rattled by what she would tell them.

"Come here," she heard Phil say. "Come here, relax." He took her hands into his and brought them to his mouth. "You have nothing to be worried about. They won't hate you. They'll just want to help you find a way out."

"I've been so dumb, Phil," she said, holding back the tears that could clearly be heard in her voice.

"Hey, you made a mistake. We all make mistakes. I've made some questionable choices in my life."

"You?" she remarked, a sarcastic smile on her face. "Never."

He took a few moments to look into her eyes, hoping that she would draw some strength from him. "Want me to go in with you?"

Nodding her head, she grabbed his hand, then turned towards the door. When they entered the room, Phil made himself invisible as he stepped back behind a table.

"Anise, what's going on here?" Vince asked.

"Papap, I know you don't have much time, so I want to tell you all quickly."

Her uncle Paul cleared his throat, adjusting his suit as he took a seat next to his wife. "What is it?"

"Before the kids were born," she started, her nerves getting the best of her as she felt a tear begin to slide down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. "We thought it would be good, for the kids, if we got married."

_"What!"_ was the collective sigh in the room amongst several of them.

Jay was the first to jump up, shouting obscenities before her announcement fully hit anyone else.

"We as in, you and Randy?" Paul asked. Stephanie gasped as her niece confirmed it with a nod of her head, grabbing up a hand of Paul's.

"Oh my," she heard her mother say.

"I thought it would be best for our kids," she told them.

"Best for them?" Jay asked, walking towards her. "When he's hurting you? Anise, what part of you thought it would be _good_ for them if you're being hurt by someone?"

"Dad," she began saying when she felt Phil's arms around her. The tears stung behind her eyelids, and she couldn't stand the feeling of utter disappointment that radiated from her father. "Please, dad."

He looked away from her, pulling his arm free from the grasp of Vivian's hand. "I can't be here right now," he mumbled out before leaving the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

"He'll be fine," Phil's voice said, not doing much to calm her nerves.

"What exactly is going on here?" Paul asked. He was beginning to realize just how close his niece and Phil really were. Over the past few months, he casually noticed that they were extremely comfortable around each other.

"Steph, I want our lawyers on this," Vince said, ignoring any and all emotion in the room.

"Vince, we'll deal with that later," Paul stated, then turned his attention back to his niece. "What is going on here?"

"What do you mean?" Phil asked, although he knew exactly what Paul was getting at.

"You and her," Paul said, pointing between the two of them. "You think that because Randy treats her like garbage, that you can just jump in?" He suddenly stood, garnering the attention of Stephanie even more.

"Paul," she said, standing to stop him from possibly launching himself at Phil. "Paul, stop it. She doesn't need this right now."

"What she doesn't need is to get involved with another one," he said defiantly. He saw the flicker of pain in Anise's eyes, sighing deeply before running a hand over his head and exiting the room.

Anise blew out a breath, turning around to lean on the table behind her. "Great, just great. It seems like all I can do is make men mad at me."

When her mother, aunt, and cousins walked towards her, Phil stepped back, allowing them to comfort her. He figured she needed them more than she needed him. The room was near silent, only soft whispering could be faintly heard from the six women discussing a multitude of things. Just when he thought it was a good time to leave, Vince's hand was laid upon his shoulder.

"I've only heard a small amount of what he's done to her," he began telling Phil, his eyes still trained on his granddaughter. Phil said nothing, but noted the sadness in his voice. "And I wish that I could rewind what has happened to her. If I had only known what was going on, I would have done everything in my power to make sure it never became worse."

Phil nodded, slightly surprised when Vince finally faced him, placing his hands on either of Phil's shoulders. The older man didn't even have to say anything else. Phil already saw the pleading look in his eyes.

"You know," Vince quietly said. "She's confided in you more than anyone else. She trusts you." He paused for a brief moment, removing his hands to pat Phil on the back. "Don't break that trust."

Vince then left, leaving Phil with the women. If he didn't already know before, he knew now that he couldn't leave Anise. Not like how she was now. Even if it was a temporary thing, she needed someone to show her what being loved was really like. She needed to know that it was so much more than fits of jealous rage. She needed to experience a more tender touch, and a touch that didn't leave her bloodied and bruised. She needed to be loved.

"""""

She waited patiently for him, the jittery nerves in her body calming when he emerged from the crowd, luggage in tow. These past couple of days had been nothing short of a personal hell for her, from thinking she'd forever be stuck in Randy's swinging fury, to feeling the iron curtain of disappointment that she seemed to believe her family had for her. The only person who made her feel like she was doing her best to better her life was the man who currently had his arm lazy slung around her shoulders.

"How you doing, babes?"

She looked at him, catching his contagious smile. "Doing just fine now that you're here."

"And where is here?" he asked as they approached her truck. He lifted his bag into the backseat before taking a seat on the passenger side.

"I wanted you to see the house I got," she said as she started the engine.

"Well, I didn't know you'd ask me to move in so quickly."

The smile on his face reached his eyes, and that's when she knew he was genuinely happy to be with her.

"Not so fast, Mr. Punk. Wait until I get settled in at least."

"So," he sighed out, relaxing for the first time all day. "This is near Shawn's?"

"Yeap," she said, nodding. "There was a plot of land being sold next to his house. He actually surprised me when he told me he bought it for me."

"With a lake on it?"

She nodded again. "It's a small lake. We all would go swimming in it years ago. The people who owned the land before built a house on it, and they weren't too fond of unruly teens getting free range of their land."

Their chatter continued, Phil telling Anise what was going on with the people on the road. Phil was never the one to involve himself in any of their drama, but even he had to admit that some of it made for decent conversation. If nothing else, it certainly shortened the time it was taking to get to her new house. After what seemed like hours down straight and narrow roads, they turned off onto a short, winding road, stopping in front of a freshly revamped house.

"Nice," he said as he opened the car door.

"Come on, I'll show you the inside."

It was a one story house, mostly brick, brick steps that lead up to the door, and wrought iron railings. When she opened the door to the house, allowing them inside, the smell of fresh paint hit Phil first thing. Everything seemed to have been stripped and then white-washed, giving a clean, crisp look.

"I plan to paint each room their own color," she told him as she placed her bag and keys down on the table. "The white is a little too much for me."

"Gives you a nice, clean slate though," he commented, his eyes still darting around.

"Not much to see at the moment," she said in relation to the living room being completely empty, and the kitchen and dining area being sparse as well. "I have all the basic items for now. Cris said we'll be going shopping soon."

"Good," he said, taking a seat at the small table. "That's good. I'm glad you have someone around who will take care of you while I'm gone."

He winked at her, causing her to laugh. It was music to his ears to hear her laugh, especially since she didn't seem to be doing much of it. She floated around the kitchen after turning on the coffee pot again, preparing them something to eat. The food was cooking in the pan, perfuming the entire house with its goodness, when she sat down across from him.

"Here we go," she said, sitting down a cup of coffee in front of him. She slid the creamer and sugar towards him, taking liberty to pour a generous amount of liquid cream into her coffee.

"Ah," he said, taking a sip. "Nothing like this morning's coffee warmed up before dinner."

"Be luck you get that," she told him, a finger pointed in his direction. "I'll sit you outside with the dogs and you can drink from their water bin."

There was nothing he appreciated more in someone than humor. But the smile slowly faded from his eyes as he realized the reason why she'd even moved here to begin with. His mind wanted to do anything but focus on Orton, but things had to be discussed. He had stopped himself from talking about it with her since her announcement to her family, but it couldn't be put on hold any longer. Delicate topics could only be flitted around for so long.

"Do you feel safe here?" he asked her in a low voice. He knew the two of them were the only ones in the house, but he still felt like keeping the tone quiet was best.

She shrugged, stirring her coffee once more. "I do. Even if something were to happen, I could always go to someone's house."

"You're forgetting that there is a lake between you and the closest house."

"A lake that I could navigate my way around with my eyes closed," she added, hoping to extinguish his concerns.

"Okay," he said, giving her the benefit of the doubt. So she at least did know her way around this area if nothing else. "Still, I'd like to know you'll be safe. I can't always be here to be your super hero. After all, I'm not Cena."

She saw the smile come back as she stood to finish their dinner, although it didn't reach his eyes. She knew he was worried, and she would do anything, say anything, to prove to him that she would be fine. The last thing she wanted him to give was all his time just to make sure she was safe. She was safe, and in her mind, she had removed herself from the rest of the world. By being here in this area, no one could ever bother her.

As she cleaned up their dinner mess, Phil had quickly gone back outside to retrieve his bag, wheeling it into the house. She told him where he could place it, and he disappeared down the hallway. Checking out the rest of the house, all but her room was completely empty. Her room, the master bedroom, sat in the back corner of the house with its own bathroom. Filling up the length of the hallway were three smaller bedrooms, and one rather long hallway bathroom.

By the time she finished with the dishes and came into her bedroom, he was quietly looking through her movie collection.

"Make yourself at home," she said before stepping into her bathroom. He nodded, going back to looking through the movies. He found one to watch before taking off his hoodie and sitting on her bed. Though the room itself wasn't completely put together, it felt warm and comfortable to him. The large bed sat against an empty wall, two nightstands on either side. In front of the bed was the armoire where the television was placed, and on another wall with two windows stood a long dresser complete with a mirror.

"I've just put something on," he told her as she emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas.

She looked at the television from the bathroom doorway, rolling her eyes at the picture.

"This stupid movie," she said. "It's Shawn's."

"Why do you have it?" he questioned.

"I have no idea. The kids, maybe?" She quickly twisted her hair up into a loose bun then sat on the bed next to him. "You can use whatever room you want to change for the night. I promise I won't barge in on you."

A sarcastic smirk on his face, he went over to his bag, pulling open the zipper.

"Well, if you won't barge in on me, then I guess I'll just have to make it happen."

Before she was able to say anything else, he quickly pulled off his shirt and tossed it to the floor next to his bag.

"Nothing I haven't seen before," she said, taking notice of his tattooed covered muscles.

"Wouldn't you like to see more." He tilted his head to the side, unbuttoning his jeans and letting them fall to the floor.

She shook her head. "I see more than that when you wrestle."

"Hey," he said, bending down to pick up his discarded clothes, folding them neatly before placing them into the bag. "My trunks aren't that small." He made his way back to her bed, lifting up the comforter so he could lay in bed.

"Whoa, what are you doing?"

"What?" he said innocently as he placed his arms underneath his head.

"In my bed? In your little boxers?"

"All the other rooms are empty," he simply stated. "What, you want me to sleep in an empty room?"

"There's blankets and stuff you can use," she said with a laugh to her voice.

"Oh, I'm hurt, Nisey," he mocked, placing his hand over his heart. "I thought we were deeper than that. I thought we were so much closer than blankets."

Giving his arm a light punch, she laughed more at his silliness. "Oh, don't be such a baby. Kick me in your sleep though, and I'll push you out of the bed."

He shot up, hugging his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him. The screams of her laughter filled the room, and for once, Phil could believe that she was his. For a few moments in time as his fingers tickled her and the laughter wrapped itself around them, he could pretend that it was the two of them against the world.

When she finally got a hold of his hands, her laughter died down, and she was left to stare into his eyes. She felt like he was looking deeper than she wanted him to. Deeper than she wanted to allow anyone again.

"You have the weirdest color eyes I've ever seen."

"Sorry," he said in a breathy tone. "Not all of us can be gorgeous like you."

She would have laughed, but he was serious, all traces of humor were wiped from his face. "What?" she whispered, moaning as his lips covered hers.

His hands found their way up her pajama top, hesitating when he felt her body still.

"Oh," he quickly said, removing his hand. He moved away from her, sitting up straight. "I'm sorry, Anise. I didn't mean – "

She laid flat on her back, running her hand over her face. What was wrong with her? Getting out of a bad relationship, just to jump right into another one. Would it even be a relationship? Or would it just be them getting what they wanted from each other? That's exactly how things started with Randy.

"It's okay, Phil." She turned to her side, tracing a finger over his tattooed arm. "I wouldn't regret it."

He looked down at her, trying to ignore the way her eyes expressed everything he was feeling. He tried ignoring the way her ample breasts damn near called out to him, begging him to give them some attention. He tried ignoring the way her plump lips requested his once more. He tried ignoring all these things, but he just couldn't.

He pulled her close again, moving his body to settle over hers. Their lips met, breaking for only a second in their joint effort in taking off her shirt. She couldn't stop herself as her hands roamed over his chest and down his stomach. When she felt him place her legs around his waist, the reality of what they were doing sank in. She didn't mind giving herself to Phil, not like she did with Randy. Phil surely didn't have to convince her about anything. He didn't have to prove anything to her, or promise her anything. She was opening herself to him with nothing on the line.

Feeling him against her body was like nothing else she knew. It felt completely natural, almost like they were made for each other. His hands pulled her pajama bottoms and panties away, her own hands pulling at the elastic waist of his boxers.

"Aren't we excited," he teased as he removed his boxers. He grinned as she pulled him back down to her.

"Shut up and love me." She kissed him again, biting down on his bottom lip as he filled her.

Phil gently rocking within her made her mind blank. She gladly forgot about everything else, to just spend this time with him. He was all her questions answered. Everything that had happened, and what it had led up to made sense. She knew he wouldn't be hers after this though. She'd seen the women he would be with, and she didn't amount to what he wanted. But for now, they belonged together. For now, she could believe things that seemed impossible for her to have.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N:** Another update done! I actually uploaded this last night, but since today is so rainy out again, I figured I should read through and try and correct all the little mistakes I missed. But as always, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy._

A crashing noise made her eyes pop open. When it came again, she pushed Phil's arm off of her and quickly dressed. A third crash sounded as she made her way down the hallway. She listened closely and realized it sounded like metal trash cans banging against each other. But she didn't have metal trash cans. Making her way into the living room, the sound coming from outside resonated throughout the space. She quickly opened the sliding door that opened up to the back patio.

"Shawn!" she screamed when she saw his body tumble over someone else. "What are you doing!"

"Hey, Nisey!" Shannon's drunken voice said. "How you doing, girl?"

"I'd be doing a lot better if you guys wouldn't do this shit in my back yard!" She picked up the trash can lids that they had been banging against each other and tossed them to the side of the patio. They landed with a clash on the grass. "What are you two doing here? It's the middle of the night."

"We went swimming," Shawn answered, pointing to his body. "Well, we were wearing clothes."

"Oh my God," Anise said, throwing her hands up. She shut the patio door with an aggravated sigh.

"What's going on?" Phil asked groggily as he made his way into the kitchen where she was standing.

"Shawn and Shannon acting like idiots," she explained, pointing towards the sliding door. "I hear this banging and shit, scared of what could be out there." She paused, making her way towards the door, opening it. "And here is it, these two drunken morons fighting with trash can lids in my back yard!"

Phil came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. He pressed a kiss on her neck, amused by her.

"Boys will be boys, honey."

"Big, over grown babies," she hissed out, shutting the door again.

Shawn and Shannon calmed themselves down enough to see the two of them inside of the house. Phil's arm hugging Anise closely... Neither one of them expected the sight they saw. They looked on as Phil whispered something in her ear, and she followed him, the two disappearing into the house.

"""""

He kept a watchful eye on her. The sight of them even standing next to each other made his blood pressure rise. He didn't want Anise around Orton at all, but he regretfully respected the fact that they had children together. Something he did appreciate though, was the fact that Evelyn had not left Anise's side for a second. The two cousin's arms looped together as they casually talked to Randy. Phil could see the tension on Orton's face however, and could tell that Orton didn't want Evelyn around. No, Orton wanted Anise alone, all to himself, where he could keep her away from every haven she knew.

There was no doubt in Phil's mind that Orton would try at least once tonight to make Anise stray from the watchful eye of her family. And then Phil noticed someone watching him. In fact, they'd been watching him all day, glaring and beady eyes steadily on him. Phil refrained from saying anything about it though, and not just because he had any fear of being removed from events. They could pull him from every event right now as far as he was concerned. That would only mean that he would be completely free to spend all his time with Anise.

No, television time wasn't what kept him from mouthing off at the stares. What kept him from returning any looks of disdain himself was standing not twenty feet away from him. The glow of her honey hair, the shine in her eyes, her brilliant smile... Even her scent found its way to him. Paul could dislike it until cows mooed in his face, but Anise and Phil were something. Neither knew what, and they couldn't explain it to anyone else, but it worked for them. Phil had been staying at her home in North Carolina for a few weeks now, and everything seemed so normal to them now. For once, he liked how things were in his life.

The subtle smile on his face from his thoughts of being with Anise faded though as he heard Randy's voice become low. He didn't hear what Randy said to her, but judging by the look on her face, it made her uncomfortable. Phil knew that Anise no longer wanted to be around Orton. So many late nights they stayed up, talking about random things. They tried to make Randy scarce, but talking about the situation with the children couldn't be helped.

"I don't think so, Randy," Phil heard Anise say, trying her best to laugh it off. Evelyn nervously tugged at her cousin's arm.

"Let's go get a drink," Evelyn said. "A glass of wine should do us some good."

Phil watched gratefully as Evelyn pulled Anise away from the awkwardness. They were standing by the table lined with glasses and bottles before he stood and joined them.

"Talk about pushy," Evelyn commented when she saw Randy walk away with a few other wrestlers.

"Wouldn't be him if he wasn't pushy as hell," Anise laughed out. A genuine smile returned to her face as she saw Phil approach them.

"Why do we come to these anyway?" he asked, rolling up the sleeves to his button down shirt.

"We? Well, we come because we're bored," Evelyn half replied.

"Yeah," Anise began, finishing the answer. "You come because you have to."

Phil scoffed. "Have to," he said, a smirk on his face. "More like they're glad I even show up."

"Well, you're more than free to leave, Phil," Paul's voice came from the side of them. "After all, I know these little get-togethers aren't really your thing."

Phil looked over towards where Paul was standing. He stiffly slid his hands into his pockets, his shoulders squaring at the sight of his niece with Phil. Cocking his eyebrow, he waited for Phil to speak.

"My thing? I came for one reason, and one reason only, and it wasn't to stroke any of the corporate egos that make themselves known at these little... _parties_."

"Oh yeah? And what's your reason, Phil? Paul asked.

Phil grinned, resisting the urge to ball his fist up, throw it back, and then release it full force on Paul's face. He'd already done so with Orton, and not felt an ounce of regret doing so.

"You really have to ask me that?" Phil asked sarcastically.

"Please." Paul's smirk was unwavering, even as his youngest daughter and niece looked on. "Enlighten me."

Anise looked around the large room. No one seemed to have noticed the two men exchanging less than pleasant words right now, and she wanted to keep it that way. With a look towards Evelyn, she received a nod from her cousin. While Evelyn linked arms with her father, Anise grabbed Phil's hand, the two effectively pulling the men away from each other, defusing the situation before it became any worse.

It was only when Phil had followed Anise into an empty hallway did he say anything.

"You know he does that on purpose," he told Anise. She only nodded her head. "And you know he doesn't like me because of what Randy did to you." Again, another nod. He sighed, a strange calm washing over him. "You gonna say anything, or do I have to back in that stale pit and kick both their asses?"

Her hazel-blue eyes concentrated on him. Tilting her head, she realized that he was serious. Shaking her head, her lips twisted into a smile.

"I'm not worth my uncle possibly getting his ass kicked in a blind fury, and then you getting fired because everyone's emotions will be entirely too high." A small laugh escaped her lips as she shook her head again. "So quick to jump to someone's aid."

Phil watched her cross her arms over her chest, amused at the thought. "Not worth it? You think I do this for everyone?"

"No, I don't." She walked past him towards the elevators, slapping at the call button. "But wouldn't you rather help someone that you can get something more from?"

"Something more from?" he repeated, barely noticing that she had stepped onto the elevator. He quickly made his way over, the elevator doors just missing snapping shut on him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Though she smiled, she didn't look at him. "You're what, thirty-five years old? Don't you think it's about time you get something out of a relationship?"

"And you're supposed to be the princess I save?"

"Hey, you wanted to take this on. I didn't make you, and you're more than welcome to walk away at any time."

"Walk away?" he asked, looking up at the red numbers counting down the floors. "You think it's just that easy?"

"Why would it be hard?"

He continued looking at the numbers beeping down. "You're too much like your uncle."

"What?" she questioned, looking over at him.

He scoffed, "You really have to ask that?"

The elevator bell sounded, the door opening shortly after. She continued looking at him as he stepped out, walking into the lobby of the headquarters.

"Wait, stop," she called out. She followed him out to where his vehicle was parked, quickly getting into the car. "If you mean what I think you mean, then – "

"Then what? Don't fall for you?" He started the car, hastily switching into reverse, making the tires squeal. "Is that what you're going to tell me?"

"Phil – "

"Don't bother," he said, cutting her off again as he began driving out of the parking lot.

She remained silent as they drove off. Not wanting to say anything, she let her thoughts stew in her mind. She knew that Phil felt strongly for her, but she just figured that it was because he was helping her out through such a difficult situation. In tough times, people are bound to become close. They become close, and then life splits them apart.

A half an hour went by before they stopped in front of a restaurant. He sat in the driver's seat, hands on top of the steering wheel.

"It's too late," he said softly, allowing his hands to drop from the wheel.

Anise opened her mouth to say something, but she quickly found that she had nothing to say. Yes, she knew that Phil had feelings for her, but to the extent that they went... She didn't want that to happen.

"You can't," she told him.

"And you still think it's that easy."

"It has to be. You think it's smart to start anything more?"

"It's already started, Anise. It started when you let him put his hands on you. This," he stated, motioning between the two of them, "was already in motion when you allowed that to happen. So how can you tell me that I can't?"

"That wasn't my intention, Phil."

"Does that even matter, what you wanted to happen? Did I want to fall in love with a twenty-something year old with two kids already, and a load of shit husband who seems to constantly have his abused wife wrapped around his finger? No, I bet that wasn't your intention, but it happened."

Trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall, she choked back a sob. "You make it out to be so hateful, Phil," she told him, pressing the back of her hand to her mouth.

"It's not hateful," he said, turning off the engine and tossing the keys down into the console tray between their seats. "It's the truth. You think I planned on loving you? On sharing myself with you? Do you even know that I've never revealed as much of myself to anyone else that I have to you?"

"What do you want from me?" she asked softly.

"Do you?!"

"What do you want from me?!" she screamed at him before opening the car door. Slamming the door shut as hard as she could, she walked away, not even caring that she was crying. She heard his car door shut, praying that her legs would carry her further away.

"Anise," he called out. "Stop, come here."

"Please, just leave."

"You're out in the middle of no where. I'm not just gonna leave you here."

"I know where I'm at," she told him, keeping up her fast pace. "Just go. You no longer have to worry about me."

Phil paused for a moment, thinking of her words, before sighing and jogging to catch up with her. Grabbing her arm, he pulled her back.

"Anise."

"Let go!" she shouted, shaking her arm free of his grasp. "I said you don't have to worry about me anymore."

He reached for her as she tried walking away again, pulling at the denim jacket she wore. She struggled against it for a second before spinning around to remove the jacket from her body. He was able to grab her hand just as it slipped out of the cuff, and hugged her close to his body. He heard her cries become louder as she fought against him, feeling so helpless as her fists hit his chest.

"I'm sorry," he softly said. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to sound so harsh."

She wanted to say so much to him. That she didn't want to depend on him. That she no longer wanted to rely on talking to him. That she didn't want to love him either. None of those thoughts came to words as she felt her legs give out beneath her. He still held onto her, refusing to let her fall.


	13. Chapter 13

Phil took her home a few hours later after aimlessly driving around. Admittedly, she didn't want to leave him. She didn't want to be alone. Her family would be around, but it just wasn't the same as having someone that you loved around you. And the best part of it all was that he loved her back. She quietly tip-toed into her parent's home, heading straight up to her childhood bedroom, and there she stood leaning on the door frame.

"They're still sleeping?"

Anise turned to see her mom standing behind her to the side. "Yeah. I'm glad you guys had them." She sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry for leaving like that. I didn't know Phil would get into it with uncle Paul."

Vivian put her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "It's okay, my dear. Phil's known to speak his mind. None of us expected anything different."

Anise paused her thoughts for a moment, taking a deep breath and holding it for a second. "Mom," she said after releasing her thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"He told me that he loved me."

"Is that a surprise?" Vivian questioned.

"No, not with how he's been my crutch for the past half a year. But," she began, turning to face her mom. "I don't want him to think that he needs to be there. I'm not looking for a replacement father for the kids, or a replacement husband. I want him to be there because he wants to be."

Vivian smiled gently, walking along side Anise as they started back downstairs.

"This is Phil Brooks we're talking about, right? Trust me, he's not going to do anything that he doesn't want to do. My suggestion would to be just let him do what he does best."

"What's that?" Anise said, hugging her mom's arm to her.

"Phil's the type of person that doesn't fall easily, but when he does, it's hard and relentless. He's not going to leave until he knows he no longer has a place with you."

Anise had a smile of her own now. "That's funny you say that because when we left earlier, we stopped in a restaurant parking lot, and I told him that he could leave if he wanted to."

"And did he?"

"Of course not," Anise said with a brighter smile. "He's too hardheaded to know any better."

"Exactly," Vivian said, hugging her daughter.

"""""

The morning sun filtered in through the curtains, rays of light waking Anise up slowly. Opening her eyes, she noticed that her children were not sleeping next to her as they were when she finally went to bed the night before. She lifted her head to see that the bedroom door had been left open a crack. Moaning, she turned over, placing her face back into her warm pillow. A few minutes later, her ears perked up as she heard the door open some. Feeling a body lay next to her in the bed, she kept her eyes shut.

"Anise?"

She didn't respond to the voice whispering to her, laying completely still. Then she felt two smaller bodies crawl onto the bed, and she couldn't help but smile as she felt them lean on her body.

"Okay, ready kids?" the voice whispered. "One, two, three, go."

Anise sat up. "What are you all do– "

Before she could question them, sugary frosting and cake splattered on her face. The laughter of her children was all she heard, and as she wiped frosting from her face, she looked over to see the grinning face of Phil.

"Morning, sweetcakes."

Anise gasped, gathering the sugary confection in her hands. "I'll show you sweet cakes," she said before throwing some at him. Her kids laughed some more before she turned to them, smothering them as well.

Phil sat up, laughing as he wiped frosting from his face. "I'm so glad they didn't shower yet."

"How do you know? Mom usually has them showered by now. How long have you been here? And how did you get in here anyway?" Wiping more of the cake away from her eyes, she wanted to be mad. But seeing her children laughing, she didn't have the heart to be mean about it.

"Been here about an hour," he told her as he stood from the bed. "Your mom and dad went out to breakfast, my treat of course."

"Yeah, bribery's about the only way that my dad would let you into this house."

Phil laughed, knowing her words were true. "Well, your father liking me or not isn't really an issue. Now go shower. We're going out today."

"What? Where?"

"Come on, mom!" her son, Gunner said. "Phil said he'd take us to the theme park!"

"Yeah, mom!" Gianna, her daughter, excitedly said alongside her brother. "Can we go, mom?"

Anise laughed, looking from her children to Phil. Slowly nodding her head, her smile brightened as she saw her kids cheer. "Okay, okay, we can go."

"""""

"So what you're saying is my kids are out with him? Right this very second?"

Stephanie sighed. She knew he wouldn't take this lightly. Looking over at her husband, she somehow found the strength to continue speaking to Orton.

"That has nothing to do with what we're here for," she told him.

"Oh, it doesn't? You're telling me that my wife and my children have nothing to do with me? I'm just supposed to lay down on the road while she runs me over, and then runs off with another man?"

Paul held out his hand to Randy, realizing that his emotions were clearly running deep.

"Rand, she didn't run off with another man, and she's not going to take the kids away from you. Just think rationally about this."

"She already has, Paul. She took them away when she left me. You want to talk rationally? How rational was it when you all helped her take my kids away from me?"

"We didn't help her do anything, Randy," Stephanie commented. "All we did was do what she asked us to do."

Randy watched Stephanie stand and pull her suit jack to. Paul did the same, helping her gather papers from the table. "And what was that?"

Stephanie was visibly done speaking with him. The way her face became expressionless told it all. She was shutting herself off from him. When Paul realized this, he pushed a manilla envelope towards Randy.

"I'm sorry, Randy," he said in low tone. Placing his arm around Stephanie's waist, they left the conference room.

The reality of it all crashed down on him as he stared at the folder. He didn't even have to look to know what was inside. It was there in front of him, taunting him, slapping him in the face. Anise was the one to have her cake and eat it too. After all these years, it finally caught up to him. She had filed for a divorce. Inhaling, he let his head hang back, his mind's eye seeing every scenario. She _was_ with Phil, and he didn't care what any of them said. Denying it didn't make it untrue. Not talking about it didn't mean it wasn't happening. He knew it was, and whether or not Anise ever admitted it to him was irrelevant. Having these papers thrown in his face was irrelevant. He _would_ have his wife back.

"""""

Anise waited in the car, looking back at her two sleeping kids in the back seat. Though it had been fun, she was grateful that the long day at the amusement park had tired out the kids enough. After driving back to her parent's house, Phil watched them while she packed up their bags. She, along with her kids, would be traveling with him again. Trying her best to focus on the better aspects of traveling, she couldn't help but think of how Randy would react.

Even if they weren't officially together, she and Phil were undoubtedly close, and Randy had read into their relationship before she really even knew Phil. She would hate to see how Randy would be if he knew they had actually shared intimate moments together. She was, after all, still Mrs. Orton.

"You okay?" he asked her as he shut his door.

She looked up, quickly taking the bags from him. "Yeah, I'm fine."

As they pulled out of the gas station, he glanced over at her a few times, watching her as she ruffled through the bags of candy.

"Was that what you wanted?" he asked as he turned on the blinker.

"Yeah, thanks." She opened a bag of peach rings.

She was unusually quiet, and he knew something was on her mind. "What's wrong?"

Shaking her head, she put on a smile. "Nothing's wrong. Just enjoying my candy."

"You worried about him?"

Her hand came up, her fingers pinched together some. "Little bit."

"Well, don't worry," he told her, taking her hand in his. "You won't even have to see him if you don't want to. The bus will be there."

Though she felt a little relieved, she still remained silent for most of their trip. It wasn't until they arrived at the arena for the night's show that Phil was to get more than a few words out of her. She looked on as he spoke to someone on the phone. The kids were already tucked away in the bunk beds, and she sat, changed out of her park clothes, on the couch. He looked over at her, giving her a gentle smile.

"He's not even here," he told her as he placed his phone down on the kitchenette counter.

"Not here?"

"He's been asked to be pulled from the show, which I don't see how considering he's their main attraction now, but whatever. And he's flown back to Missouri for the time being."

"I wonder what for."

"I don't know. Paul wouldn't tell me." He glanced at his phone, ignoring the sinking feeling that was in his chest. Clearing his throat, he shook his head, turning to Anise. "You coming in?"

Her face scrunched up, her hair swaying as she shook her head. "No. I think I'll just stay here with the kids. They'll be awake shortly."

"Okay, well, I'm just doing a promo and sort of a match."

"Sort of?" she asked as she watched him.

"Another impromptu? Something like that," he said with a wave of his hand, and ever so naturally leaned over Anise, planting a kiss on her soft lips before he could even stop himself. She froze, savoring the fact that his lips lingered over hers. A few seconds past before he spoke again in a soft whisper. "I'll be back."

"Okay," she whispered back, a smile crossing her face.

He hated to leave her. Hating knowing that she'd be alone. He would have liked to believe that she was safe not just because she was on his bus, but because Orton wasn't around. But the feeling he had in the pit of his stomach made him want to request to be pulled from the show as well. Maybe he could endlessly drive around with Anise again... Anything to make him feel all right leaving her for the show.

"""""

The bus door swung open, a cool burst of air rushing through. Anise's eyes fluttered open, and she was able to see a muscular figure moving around. When the person said her name, an all-too-familiar dread washed over her. She wanted the couch she was laying on to swallow her whole. He said her name again, standing over her and pulling at the blanket that was over her body. He started talking, her mind not able to fully comprehend everything. The way his hands grabbed at her, the way he barked orders at her in a low, guiltless voice.

"Get the kids," he told her. A dim light was turned on, but she could still barely see much as she blindly made her way through the bus, collecting their items. He waited for her to zip up her bag before taking the kids in his arms.

"Daddy," she heard Gianna say, looking to see the little girl rubbing her eye.

"Shh, baby girl," he hushed. "We're going home with mommy."

"Phil took us to the park today," she said, trying to fight her sleepiness.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, glaring over at Anise. "Did you have fun, baby?"

Gianna nodded her head a couple of times before falling back to sleep in her father's arm.

"That's all we had," Anise said as she pulled the strap of the two bags onto her shoulder.

He didn't say anything else as he left the bus. Anise sighed, watching as he stepped off the bus. Beyond disappointed in herself, knowing that once again she would be in Randy's hold. She would be cut off from the rest of the world, and as they made the long drive to Missouri, she knew this would be long to end.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: **Slow update, I know. But thank you for your patience. I hope you all had an awesome Halloween, and enjoy!_

Randy looked on as she quietly dried off their children. A late dinner, which Anise hadn't touched at all, and a late bath, and both kids were tired out. He tried not letting his daughter's words from earlier ring through his ears, but something about the way she was already accustomed to seeing Phil irked him. There was no doubt in his mind that his son was also used to having Phil around as well. It was unsettling to him that Anise seemed to want to replace him as a father in total.

She dressed Gianna and Gunner, and took their hands as she lead them into their bedrooms. He waited for his wife to put the kids down for bed, then met her in the hallway. She hesitated when she saw him as she came out of their son's room.

"Why don't we go downstairs and talk?" he calmly said to her, exhaling the breath he had been holding in since she started bathing the twins.

She nodded her head slightly, carefully shuffling past him to make her way down the staircase. As her feet landed on the last step, her eyes squeezed shut as she felt his hand touch her shoulder. He brought her close to his body, his warmth taking over her. He guided her to the kitchen table, making sure she sat at the chair of his choosing.

"What is this?" she asked, looking down at the folder in front of her.

"Well," he said, rubbing the stubble on his chin with his fingers. "You tell me."

Anise hated the way he walked behind her, casually leaning over her shoulder, and flipped open the folder to reveal the documents inside.

"What?" she breathed out upon seeing them.

"These," Randy began in a tranquil demeanor. "Are the divorce papers that I was presented with by Paul and Stephanie earlier today."

She reached for the folder and just as her hand touched the papers, Randy slammed his hand over hers, causing her to scream out. She quickly found his hand over her mouth, muffling her noise.

"Not so loud, Anise. The kids are sleeping." He lifted his hand from hers, watching her nurse her sore hand. He moved from her side, sitting on the edge of the kitchen table. "I assume it was your idea," he said, motioning towards the papers.

"You think I wouldn't file?" she asked him, holding her hand tightly. "I wasn't joking when I said I wanted out."

"Oh, you want out?" he mocked with a sarcastic grin. "You want out."

"Yes, I want out," she repeated. "This fucking nightmare has to end eventually."

The grin faded from his face at the spiteful tone of her words.

"Nightmare?" He flexed his hand before sharply landing a hit on Anise's face. He stood as she cried out, the force of his hit making her tumble out of the chair. "I'll show you nightmare."

"""""

_ She sighed as she quickly entered the bus and took a seat on the couch. He would follow her, she knew, but she didn't know that he would start an argument in front of nearly everyone. He had never been that bold before. Their relationship turmoils had always been kept away from everyone else. But this surprised her, and just as she expected, Randy was standing in front of her faster than she wanted._

_ "You just walk away from me now? Is that the game you're playing?"_

_ She looked up at him, fiery eyes focused on his cold blue ones._

_ "What am I supposed to do?" she asked him. "Stand there and fight with you? I'm not going to do that ridiculous shit. Not in front of people like that."_

_ "You argue with me any other time."_

_ A sarcastic laugh escaped her as she looked back down. "I'm not doing this." She stood, waving him off for just a second before he grabbed her arm._

_ "You're not going anywhere, Anise."_

_ "Let go of me." She struggled against his strong hand closed around her wrist. But she was ignored as he pulled her into the back area of the bus, tossing her onto the bed and slamming the door shut behind him._

_ "What are you going to do, Anise? You want to tell them everything? You want to confide in Phil some more about all the things that I do?"_

_ Her eyes narrowed. "Shut up, Randy."_

_ "Go!" he shouted. "Go, and tell them all about what I do to you."_

_ "Shut up!" she screamed as she shot up from the bed to push him. "You do this! You do this every single time!"_

_ "Stop it," he said, taking hold of her hands once more. He swung her around from side to side, wishing she would calm down. "Stop it, Anise!"_

_ She screamed more at him as she felt him shake her. "I hate you! You're no good!"_

_ He felt her words seep into him, taking over his body. Hatred. That's what she really felt for him. A liar was all she was. She had built him up, all his emotions, all his feelings, just to let him down. He'd given up his old ways just to be with her, and all she did was throw it back in his face. Before she opened her mouth to scream anything more at him, his senses were taken over with rage as his hand began marking her. One hard slap after the next connected with her face, and he reveled in the fact that he was able to dominate her as she lay helplessly trying to avoid his strikes._

_ She felt the air leave her chest as his hand continued to beat on her flesh. Screaming his name out, she managed to block a hit that she was sure would bruise her eye terribly if it landed. She grabbed onto his hand, pushing his arm away from her. Dizziness fell upon her as she attempted to fight Randy off, and she was glad when he pushed her off the bed out of frustration. She rolled down, hitting the carpeted floor with a thud._

_ He blocked out the sounds of her pain as he took out remaining frustration on the bus itself. Items were torn from the shelves, being flung haphazardly around the room. Letting out a barbaric yell, Randy turned back around to see Anise still on the floor, her knees drawn up to her chest, and her stare was emotionless. He didn't want her like this... So emotionally drawn from him. She used to be so giving, so tender underneath him._

_ But he knew what the real issue was._

_ "It's him, isn't it?" he asked her, wiping a hand over his mouth, his breathing finally calming. He could tell that she didn't want to talk by the way her body remained still. "Isn't it!"_

_ She didn't even see him lunge for her, picking her up and wrapping his large hand around her throat. She cried out, scratching at his arm._

_ "Randy! Stop! Please!"_

_ "It's him," he said again. "He's taking you away from me. He's taking my family away." His hand closed around her neck even tighter. "And he's taking what's mine."_

_ She could no longer get any glimpse of words out as his fingers dug into her flesh. Choking and blue in the face as she struggled for an ounce of air, but Randy refused to let her go. He refused to see his wife walk away from him. She wasn't go to ever leave him. She was going to stay right where she belonged, and that was in his watchful eye. He owned her now. She belonged to him._

"""""

She was slouched over the side of the toilet, a wave of sickness washing over her. Still, anything was better than her mind going back to just a few hours ago. She didn't want to think about it anymore... The way he possessed her. The way he took over her body. It wasn't lovingly, and it certainly had never been something he'd done before. Every other time, she willing gave herself. But not this time, and as the sounds of their argument rang in her ears, another wave hit her, forcing her to lean over the toilet once more.

She couldn't take this anymore. He made her feel like she couldn't live anymore. She forced herself to think of brighter things. Her children, her family, anything to make her realize that she needed to keep going. Then her mind drifted to Phil. He'd been so sweet to her. How could she let him down softly? What could she possibly say to him to make him move on with his life? He couldn't save her. There was no way out for her. Her bed was made with Randy, and now she'd just have to accept that she must lay in it with him.

Finally picking herself up off the bathroom floor and quickly washing up, she made her way back into the bedroom she and Randy shared. Sitting down on the bed for a few minutes of rest, she dreaded hearing their bedroom door creak open. Damn thing had been an ominous sign for her now. If anything was near that door, it was sure to be horrible for her. This time was no different as she saw Randy walk into the room.

"Vivian called," he informed her. "Said she tried calling your new number, but there was no answer."

She waved her hand at him. "It's still in my bag."

"Why?"

She sighed. "Because I haven't taken it out yet."

"Don't get smart with me, Anise. I bought you the damn thing. Least you could do was use it."

"You shouldn't have broken my other one." Her hands fell to the bed tiredly before she stood, going over to her leather bag and pulling out the phone. Her heart dropped as she saw her missed calls. Some from her mother, some from her aunt, once from her father, and there were quite a few from her cousins. All of that was normal though. She was used to seeing their names in her missed calls. What she wasn't used to though, and what made the lump in her throat rise was how many times Phil had tried calling her.

Randy watched her as she seemed to struggle against a cry. He knew what name she was looking at as she tried to swallow away the tears. Anger filled him as he thought of her talking to Phil and being with Phil. She didn't belong to Phil. She belonged to him.

"Delete him from your phone, Anise," he said to her in a low tone, head turned away from the sight of her. She remained still, leaning against the dresser for support, the new phone clutched in her hand. "I said delete him."

She gasped when he came over and snatched the phone from her. "I was going to," she said, bracing herself as a shot of pain rushed through her stomach. He missed the look of agony though, too busy with thumbing through the phone. She tried holding in another cry of pain as her stomach seemed to twist inside itself, but Randy, now looking at her, caught the look on her face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said, taking the phone from his hand and tossing it back into her bag. She turned to walk away from him, but the twisting feeling in her gut worsened. She fell to the carpet, doubled over in pain.

"Anise! What's wrong?"

"I don't know!" she screamed as she braced herself with one arm. Then she felt it... A simple pop. The pain weakened for a moment, and it felt like her entire body went numb. She vaguely heard Randy speaking to her. Her vision went hazy, and she felt the breath leave her body before she completely blacked out.

"""""

Randy didn't quite understand what was going on. He sat in the waiting room, along with Vivian and Jay. They hadn't received any updates on Anise since they wheeled her into the emergency room. The three of them were a bundle of nerves, and hearing the door open only to see Evelyn walk through didn't help matters any.

"What happened?" she asked Vivian as she approached the row of seats where they sat in the small waiting area.

Randy sighed as he heard Vivian repeat to Evelyn what he had told them. He had been so scared when she passed out that he'd only told them the minimum story. His mind kept replaying the scream that left her body when her body folded over in pain. He knew something was seriously wrong, and losing her was not something he wanted to happen. He only half paid attention to what was being said between Vivian and Evelyn, his hands thoughtlessly playing with his phone.

"No, mom and dad won't be able to make it," Evelyn told Vivian. "But I told them I'd be here, and they definitely want some news about it."

"I called Shawn," Vivian said, crossing a leg over the other as she leaned back against the chair. "He'll be here soon."

Randy nearly rolled his eyes. _Great,_ he thought. Now he'd have to deal with her brother. Fortunately for him, Jay didn't say a word to him. Jay hadn't even looked at him. That was about the only thing he did understand in this moment. A father believing he'd failed to protect his only child, his daughter, from something that hurt her. And right now, Randy was the target that hurt her. Only this time, he really didn't have an insight into what was wrong with her.

Their mindless talking was too much for him to block out anymore, but before he could stand up and pace around the near empty hallway, the doctor made himself known in the door way.

"Are you all here for Mrs. Orton?" the short, balding man asked.

"Yes," Vivian spoke up. "Can you tell us what's wrong with her?"

The man lowered his eyes to Anise's file. It was a delicate subject, he knew, and one that was best told from the patient. When he looked back up, his eyes landed on the tall, lean, and toned man that was her husband.

"She's doing fine," he said, taking the time to look at all of them, but focused back on Randy. "You're welcome to see her now. She's lost a lot of blood though."

"Wait," Evelyn said quickly. "Lost blood?"

The man only nodded at the younger girl, then looked back towards Randy. "I'm sorry for your loss."

His loss? But he said Anise was fine. The weight of the doctor's words sank deeper as he realized what the loss was... A child. He barely noticed Evelyn, Vivian, and Jay rush past him in an effort to see Anise. She had given him two beautiful children already. The thought of more children had never really crossed his mind. But then, as he thought of Anise's love affair, his thoughts stilled. Could it have been possible, he wondered... No, Anise knew better than to actually sleep with that punk. It was mere puppy love between Anise and Phil, and as he sardonically laughed at the thought of it being anything more, he made his way towards Anise's room.


	15. Chapter 15

Cristine was finished cleaning the kitchen counters as she heard her excited daughter. A quick flash of the little girl ran across the living room towards the front door.

"Mommy, they're here!"

Wiping her hands off on the kitchen towel, she made her way to the door, standing behind her daughter. Her heart dropped and flipped in her stomach as she saw Anise slowly make her way out of Shawn's truck. Her niece and nephew were standing on the other side, and she noticed they looked scared. Slinging the towel over her shoulder, she shook her head as she made her way to the truck.

"Randy wasn't going to come?" she asked Anise, placing a hand on her back.

"Hell no," Shawn answered as he hoisted Anise's bags from the back of the truck.

Anise shook her head. "He has to be back on the road."

"Do you know how close I was to choking that mother – "

"Shawn," Cristine chided before he could finish the word in front of the children. "Kids, go inside. There's drinks and snacks, and you can watch TV."

"Thank you, aunt Cris," the twins replied in low voices, and then Astrid guided them to the house.

"They sound so sad," Cristine said as she watched them disappear into the house. "Poor babies." She rubbed Anise's back, surprised when Anise hugged her. They stood there for a moment, the cool breeze floating around them, and she realized that Anise was crying. It was a soft cry, and she knew that Anise had waited until her children were no longer around to let go.

Shawn looked up from where he was standing in the doorway of the house as he placed the last bag down, seeing his pregnant wife and his sister embrace. He never liked when either of the two ladies cried, and tried his best to prevent them from ever being hurt. His heart broke at the sight of it. Orton had hurt her again. They knew from the faded marks on her face. The bruises that were on her arms. He had even seen a few welt marks on her legs in the hospital.

Cristine stroked Anise's honey color hair, whispering in her ear. Anise nodded, sniffling, as she took Cristine's hand in her own. Shawn made sure their path was clear as they walked into the home, then walked back to the truck to shut the doors.

"""""

Phil let out a deep breath as he shut off his car. He had arrived at her house just a few minutes ago, anxious to see her again. Stephanie had informed him of what happened and of her condition. Even Paul had seen the worry and concern that settled deep within Phil, and agreed to give him the next week off. Phil didn't want to miss work. It was about the only thing that kept him from thinking about Anise. But when he heard that she had been put into the hospital a couple of weeks ago, his career was the last thing on his mind.

He couldn't concentrate on his job anyway as he constantly worried about her, so this time off was perfect. He knew she was recovering for the past two weeks or so, and was glad that she was back in North Carolina. As Stephanie was telling him, he knew that Orton was to blame. Stephanie never told him that, but he knew it was the truth. He had manhandled her. He pushed her around. Slapped her around. And because Stephanie and Paul knew of the hatred he had for the man, they had made sure their schedules never crossed.

Any thought of the man faded though as he saw Anise open the front door. She wore one of his wrestling shirts along with a pair of gray sweatpants, and he couldn't have been more excited to see her.

"Hey," she said as he sprinted up to her, dropping the backpack that was slung onto one shoulder and taking her into his arms immediately. She breathed in his spicy scent, getting lost in his warmth.

"Oh, Anise," he hummed out, rubbing her back as he continued to hug her. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there for you."

She pulled away from him, a gentle smile on her face. "It's okay, Phil. I know you were busy. But, hey, come on in. You know where to put your bag."

She turned from him, walking away into the kitchen. He stood there in the doorway, his backpack still on the brick porch. A strange feeling came over him as he watched her moving about in the kitchen. She had hugged him, but a weird tingle of evasiveness fell over him. Shaking off the feeling momentarily, he picked up the backpack by the strap and entered her home.

"Lunch will be ready soon," she said, smiling in his direction. He returned her smile, placing his bag down lightly against the half-wall that separated the kitchen from the living room.

"Anise," he said quietly. "You don't have to cook anything."

"It's almost done," she said with a wave of her hand. "I didn't know what time you'd be coming in so I started early. Sit down, relax."

He shook his head, a grin on his face, and hands in his jean pockets. "I can't relax," he told her, not making eye contact with her.

"Why? Something wrong?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding his head slightly.

She looked at him expectantly while still completing her tasks. "Well, what is it?"

He looked at her. He didn't want to, knowing that it would just bring on the emotions that he just wasn't ready to deal with yet. But he had to know. He had to know if there was any chance that she had remained his all this time.

"Was it mine?"

The simple three word question made her freeze in her tracks. Her back was facing him as she took down some dishes from the cabinet. When she turned to face him, the gentle smile that had graced her face was gone. He removed his stare from her, hating to see the spirit gone from her. It wasn't who she was. She was fiery. She was feisty. But now, those qualities seemed to have disappeared. Every time she left with Orton, a part of her was left with him. Randy was slowly taking everything she was.

She breathed out softly, placing down a heavy ceramic bowl before answering him.

"I don't know." She was quiet for a few moments, letting him process the thought. "Mom had the idea of getting a paternity test done, but I didn't want to know the results."

"Could they do it?" he asked, moving more into the kitchen. "I mean, wasn't it... " He couldn't find the words to say, so he stopped himself, letting his words fade.

"Yeah." She nodded her head, realizing what he was trying to ask. "Yeah, the baby was miscarried. Pretty much most of it was expelled by the time they took me into the emergency."

"Anise," he said quickly, placing a hand close to her arm. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No, no, it's okay," she said just as quickly. "I don't mind. Besides, it could have been yours. I think you have the right to know."

He nodded his head, finding a little bit of comfort in the fact that she at least felt like she could talk to him about it. Surely to everything that he knew was true, she couldn't talk to Randy about it. He was thankful though when she served their lunch and they were able to talk about lighter subjects.

After lunch, they sat on the couch, Phil looking around and taking in the new furnishings that hadn't been there the last time he stayed. The old world style tables in the living room complimented the oversized dark brown leather couches. There was also a new flat screen television fixed on the wall above the fireplace. And she had stayed true to her word about painting the walls again. This time, the living room was painted a light taupe color, the color extending into and down the hall. The kitchen was also painted the same color, and had a back splash to compliment, however she had painted an accent wall in the dining area a crimson red.

He continued looking around, seeing all the little details she put into the house. She must have finally found the time as she was recovering, and Phil was glad that her mind could be put into something that took her thoughts elsewhere. Losing a baby was never easy on anyone. He forced those solemn thoughts from his mind as he heard the front door open.

"Mommy!" he heard the two excited kids yell as they ran into the house.

"Hey, guys! How was your time at the zoo?" She hugged them sitting on the couch still, and they joined her, Gianna squishing herself between her mother and Phil, while Gunner had lazily sat himself on the edge of the couch on the other side of Phil.

"Good," Gianna answered. "We saw the tigers!"

"Tigers? Oh my. Were you scared?"

"No," Gianna giggled, shaking her head, the soft golden-brown curls on her head shaking as well.

"Scared?" Cristine mocked as she tossed her bag onto the kitchen counter. "These kids wouldn't be scared of anything if it bit their arms and legs off." She tiredly walked to where they gathered, plopping herself down onto the smaller couch.

"You shouldn't over work yourself, Cris," Anise warned. She was all too concerned with Cristine's baby being stressed out after she had lost her own. The world could have blamed Randy, but Anise knew that the stress of things was the true reason.

"Oh, I'm fine," Cristine told her. "Jeff and Shawn did all the heavy lifting today."

"And still doing all the heavy work," Shawn commented as he made his way into the kitchen. Both he and Jeff had bags of items in their hands.

"What is all this stuff?" Anise asked, an amused smile on her face.

"We got you stuffed animals, mom," Gunner said as he stood and walked towards his uncle.

"I see that," she laughed out as Jeff approached her with a bag. Shawn walked up behind his dad and dumped a bag out on top of her, plushy, stuffed animals falling cascading to the couch.

"Nise," Cristine said, a smile on her face as the kids and the guys played with the toys. "Let's go outside for a bit and talk some."

"Sure," Anise said, laughing still as she stood up. She felt Phil's hand on her arm, preventing her from leaving, only to pull her down and placing a quick kiss on her cheek. She gave him a smile, then followed Cristine out of the sliding door.

"""""

"So," Cristine said, placing her hands inside of her wool jacket.

Anise pulled the zipper up to her hoodie to keep herself warm. "So."

"Phil."

She laughed at Cristine's simpleness. "He's stayed here before, Cris."

"Have you slept with him yet?" Cristine asked, getting straight to the point.

"What?" Anise laughed out. "What, what do you want me to say?"

"Oh, come on!" Cristine prodded. "I'm nosy. I want to hear all the details. It's something I picked up from your mom. Now, come on. Tell me everything."

"No kidding," Anise snickered, amused by Cristine's enthusiasm. "Well, yeah, we've been together several times now. But it's nothing serious. Besides, there's no way he'd stay with me anyway."

"Oh, now, what makes you say that?" She pulled the zipper up to her woolen jacket before shoving her hands back into the warm pockets. "I see how he is around you. You're special to him."

"Yeah, more like a mental case," she commented, tossing her head back to the night sky. "He feels bad for me."

"No, he feels more than that for you. You think someone as busy as he is would spend a precious week off with someone that he didn't love?" Cristine looked towards the house, seeing the screen on the television dance around. The guys and the kids must have been playing some sort of video game. "I don't even have to know him very well to know that he cares for you."

Anise stared at the stars for a minute, her mind mulling over things that Phil had told her.

"He's told me that he loves me," she told Cristine.

"Do you feel the same?"

She slightly shook her head, her vision falling back to the house as well. "I could. We have so much fun together, and he's so great with the kids. We could talk for hours about nothing and everything all at the same time."

Cristine's eyes landed on Anise. She could see the apprehension Anise held in her face. She was scared, no doubt. "So, what's stopping you? Because I know it's not him."

"No, I know he'd jump at the chance." She looked down at the patio table, busying herself as she peeled the paint from the wrought iron scrolling. "But I can't. I can't drag him into my shit. He deserves so much more than to have to deal with my mistakes."

Her thoughts were cut off by Shawn walking up to where they sat at the end of the deck.

"Phil's putting the kids to bed," he said, before holding a hand out to his wife. "You ready to leave?"

"Yeah," Cristine told him as she placed her hand in his. "I should get on home before this baby freezes inside of me." She looked back at her sister-in-law before following her husband to their truck for the minute drive back to their house. "Don't hold out on him, Nise. He does deserve that much."

Shawn smiled at Anise, knowing what they had been talking about. He knew his wife liked Phil, as did he, although he was still wary about anyone with his sister now. Phil would have to prove himself to be true. Something that Randy never did. Guiding his wife around the side of the house, they got in the blue truck with their daughter and made their way down the street for the night.

Anise sighed, sitting there in a coldness of the night for a few thoughtful minutes before making her way back into the warmth of her home. Phil was walking back down the hallway when she caught sight of him. He had changed into something to sleep in, long flannel pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt.

"Kids are sleeping," he said as he passed her on the way to the refrigerator.

"Thanks." She watched as he grabbed a bottle of water, letting the refrigerator swing shut. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure, what's up?"

Placing her hand over the one of his that held the water bottle, she led him to the kitchen table. Cristine's words churned in her head. He deserved so much more than she could give to him. He deserved more than to have to deal with someone who was stuck in a marriage with someone she didn't even like. Someone who was free of webs tangled around them. Free of the lifetime of baggage that confined her to someone she wanted nothing to do with.

"I don't think we should mess around anymore," she said, her hazel-blue eyes looking hopelessly at him.

"Mess around?" he repeated, a laugh escaping him. "What do you mean mess around?"

She stood from the table, a hand on her forehead. "You know what I mean, Phil. You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"Doing what to myself? All I do is spend time with someone that I like."

"That's just it." She turned back around to him. "I'm not good enough for you. You deserve better than someone like me. I can't give you what you want."

He stood, anger rising up. "And how do you know that?"

"Please don't argue with me."

"I'm not going to," he quickly stated. "But you're not going to tell me what I should have in my life. If I want to help someone, then I'll do that. If I want to let myself go, with no regards to what happens to me, then I'll do that." He stepped closer to her, pressing her body against the counter. "And if I want to fall in love with someone... " His lips hovered over hers as his words lingered in the air between them. "Then I'll do just that."

"Phil... "

Her words were silenced as his lips finally covered hers. She allowed the kiss for a few moments before the thoughts in her mind came back to her. She placed her hands on his chest, carefully pushing him away. He looked at her with disappointment in his eyes. She knew he would be. But she'd rather him be disappointed than to continue to follow her down this spiral.

"We can't, Phil," she whispered, the silence around them consuming them after the words left her mouth. She slipped out from his body, instantly feeling the cold that he kept away from her.

He stood there for a moment, shaking his head, watching her figure move down the hallway and into her bedroom. Tossing the water bottle into the sink, he swiftly made his way to Anise, slamming her bedroom door shut behind him. She jumped at the noise, turning around to see him. Fury had taken over his body language, his fists clenching, and he was trying to keep his breathing even.

"Anger doesn't always suit you, you know," she told him. Although he was angered at her words, oddly enough she wasn't scared of him. Not like she had become scared of Randy's outbursts. "And stop making noise. You'll wake the kids up."

A sarcastic chuckle left him, but she ignored it as she dressed for bed. She disappeared into the closet for a minute, emerging in an oversized shirt. He stared at her realizing that it was one of his shirts. Standing close to her, he grabbed a handful of the shirt.

"This is my shirt," he said in a low, even tone.

"I know." She tried pushing past him, but he placed an arm over her stomach.

"You already know it, don't you?"

She looked up at him like he was crazy, an eyebrow raised at his question. "Know what?"

He forced her back into the closet, her legs becoming tangled in his as he pushed her back. She nearly tripped, but he braced an arm around her waist and held her body close to his.

"You're my girl, Anise. You wear my clothes. You want me to spend my nights here. You know I'd never do anything to hurt those kids." He brought his hand up to her face, brushing his fingers over her lips. "You love me."

"So sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Placing his forehead against hers as they stood in the closet, his eyes fluttered shut. "I am sure of us."


	16. Chapter 16

_**A/N:** Thank you to my lovely reviewers VKxXx92, Dorenda, and the Guest. I really appreciate your words. Thank you to the readers, and I hope you enjoy these next two._

"You sure you're okay with being here?" Phil asked her as their rental wound around towards the back of the headquarters. "I'll take you right to your mom's if you want to leave."

"Sweetheart, I'm fine." She patted his hand softly as she opened her door.

He stepped out of the car, waiting for her before they headed inside, their fingers intertwined. He looked at her as they made the elevator trip up to the conference room. Phil was going to have a meeting to determine a title run, and he was more than happy to accept. Randy was currently the champion, and the thought of getting his hands on Orton was more than what he could ask for. This was no longer just business. This was personal, and to Phil it was a matter of Randy learning that he no longer had a place with Anise. She was no longer under his control. He would fight Randy for her, and he would be damn happy to do so.

His mind was brought back to her though as he felt her shake their hands apart.

"I'll be right back, sweets," she told him. His eyes were on her as she walked down the corridor, approaching Vince's office and knocking on the door.

Anise heard her grandfather's voice from inside and opened the door. He smiled at her as he leaned back in his chair.

"I have what you're looking for, Anise," he told her, still with a smile on his face.

"Thanks, papap." She sat in front of his large wooden desk, taking a look inside of the manilla envelope that he passed towards her. "No problems?"

"Not a single one. Let's just say that he smartened up about his career."

"I can't believe you got him to sign them." She ran her fingers over the dried ink that imprinted Randy's name onto the paper. "I can't thank you enough, papap."

Vince stood, straightening his tie. "Then don't," he simply told her. His face fell flat with a sadness. "I don't know the details, and to be honest, I don't think I want to know. My heart was broken when I learned of the loss, and I never want you to go through that again."

Anise felt the tears stream down her cheeks as she found her way to his side, hugging him tightly. "Thank you."

He patted her hair, obviously holding back the emotions of his granddaughter's situation. When she released him, she smiled at him, wiping back tears.

"Now," Vince said clearing his throat. "Will you be okay while we're in the meeting?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I'm just going to wait for Phil, then we're going to the next venue. Mom's got the kids."

He gently smiled at her, nodding his head. "I'll see you soon then."

Anise left his office, the envelope tucked snug under her arm. She saw Phil leaning against a wall near the conference room, watching as a few other wrestlers filed into the room. His expression was so concentrated as he looked on, knowing that he didn't want to be in a meeting.

"What do you say we go on a date after this?" she asked him as she walked up behind him.

He turned around to face her, a grin crossing his lips.

"What's got you so happy?"

"Phil!" they heard Paul say, waiving at him. "We need you."

Anise adverted her eyes away from her uncle. "I'll show you when we leave."

His heart thumped in his chest as her hand touched his face and she left a quick kiss on his lips. Seeing the envelope that she held in her hands as she walked away, he knew she wanted to show him something. But as the fog of her kiss wore off, and he walked into the conference room, he was happier than he'd ever been.

"""""

Phil stood, mentally correcting himself. _Now_ he was the happiest he could ever be. He would get a title shot against Randy three pay-per-views from now. And he couldn't decide which made him even more happy... The fact that the title match was a Hell In a Cell match, or the fact that he could openly beat Randy for the next few weeks without being arrested for it. Smirking to himself at the mere idea, he collected his hoodie that he had thrown over the back of the chair he was sitting in during the meeting, ready for his date with Anise.

"Phil," Paul's voice caught his attention just as the last few people, excluding Stephanie and Vince, filed out of the large room.

"Yeah?" he asked with his eyebrows raised.

Paul looked down at the stack of papers in front of him, shuffling through them as he gathered his thoughts.

"I just wanted to tell you that," Paul began as he looked up at Phil, stopping for just a second to clear his throat. "I'm glad that she has you. Orton put her through hell, and honestly, not just anyone would have been strong enough to walk side by side with someone dealing with a situation like that." He stopped again, glancing at his wife who offered him a simple smile. "And although you will be winning the belt, I would love to see him get his ass handed to him."

"Paul," Stephanie softly said. "He's still a talent."

Phil's mouth twisted into a grin at Paul's words. If this was Paul's way of finally admitting trusting him with Anise, he'd take it. He watched as Paul extended his hand out towards him, and he gladly took it, firmly shaking Paul's hand.

"Thank you," Phil said, then nodded his goodbye to Vince and Stephanie before exiting the room.

"What took you so long?" Anise asked him as she spotted him walking down the hallway from the conference room. "I was about to chew my own hand off."

Phil didn't say anything. He placed his hoodie over Anise's shoulders, grabbing her head in between his hands and kissed her. Breaking the kiss, their foreheads touched, and he could only smile.

"What... "

Her own thoughts were now foggy as she felt him grab her hand and pull her away from where they stood.

"""""

"Tell me you wanted to show me what's in the envelope," Phil pleaded as he stabbed at his salad with his fork.

Anise popped a baby carrot into her mouth as she nodded. "Yeap," she said as she chewed. "Sure did." Pulling the manilla envelop out from her bag, she opened it and took out the single sheet he needed to see. She continued to eat as he stopped to carefully read over the words.

"It's final?" Phil's eyebrows knit together at her nod. "What did it take for him to agree? He may be an asshole, Nise, but he's an asshole with good taste."

"McMahon magic," she answered. "But honestly, I don't really know. Papap didn't tell me much of anything."

"Well, I don't really care what it took," he said with a sigh, handing the paper back to her to put away. "All that matters to me now is that he'll leave you alone."

Although he was glad that Anise was no longer legally bound to Orton, there was something else that plagued his mind. It was just a week ago that she was so set on him not becoming involved with her. Now, she seemed completely willing to give him a chance. Not that he was complaining, but just the thought of her pushing him away broke his heart. Orton must have had more of a hold on her than he thought. More of a hold on her than anyone could ever imagine.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they finished their meals in the cozy restaurant. He pushed his dish aside and lightly took Anise's hands into his.

"I don't know how to say this, so I'll just say it."

She looked nervously at him. Was he going to finally walk away from her? Just as she thought she wanted him to a week ago? Would he finally leave her now that he figured she would be okay?

"What?" she asked, her nerves rattling her brain with more questions.

He inhaled deeply, trying to let the words flow. He was never bit with more nerves before.

"I... " He looked down at their hands, contemplating his words some more. "You're mine," he finally said. "And I'm yours. I don't care how old I am, or what you've gone through. There was a reason why our paths became so tangled with each other. You don't need to marry me, or even have kids with me, but I need you to always know this."

"Phil," she said in a relaxed voice, and gripped onto his hands tighter.

"I need you to know that I'll always be there for you. We'll argue. We'll fight, and not want to be around each other for a time. And we'll not see eye to eye on some things, but my love for you, Anise." He paused to look back to her eyes. "That's something that will never change."

Her heart fluttered more as he brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them.

"So corny," she said with a laugh.

"What can I say," he remarked with a shrug. "I try."

"And I love you for it. Now let's get out of here. We have to be in the next city by tomorrow morning, and I'd like some time to relax."

"Want me to drive?" he asked her as he stood, pulling on his hoodie, noticing that she only had a sweater on. "You cold?"

"Yes, and no. I'll be fine." Grabbing up her bag, she took his hand in hers and they left for the eight hour trip.


	17. Chapter 17

Randy sat there in the quietness of his dressing room, his mind racing a million miles an hour. How dare they go to that level? He was cornered. He had no choice but to sign the damn papers. And then to see Anise blissfully skip into the building with that punk hanging all over her... Well, he didn't like it one bit. What really caught him a loop was the fact that Anise had agreed to them forbidding him to see his children. He knew he treated her horribly, the emptiness that he felt without her by his side proved just how wrong he was... But he thought she was better than that.

His mind flipped back to the fact that Anise really believed she no longer had anything to do with him. Of course she did. It just wasn't bound by a piece of paper anymore. The marriage might have just been something legal to hold over everyone who ever doubted them, but his children... Even past the eighteen years, they chained her to him for life. That bond could never be broken. They had created life together, and no one could ever take that away from him.

The deep thinking ended when he heard the dressing room door open and close lightly. John walked in, a kind expression on his face.

"How you holding up, man?"

Randy tilted his head to the side, his tongue darting out to run across his bottom lip. "Could be better."

"Have you gotten the chance to speak with her?" John asked in reference to Anise. He didn't really know the girl that well, but she clearly made an impact on his best friend's life.

"She had her family threaten me with no seeing my kids," he told John. "I don't think she's interested in talking to me anymore."

John's face fell flat. "Do you really think she would do that? Honestly?"

"I didn't think she would, no." He sat back into the couch, crossing his muscular arms over his broad chest. "But she did. It was made very clear to me that they'd take it as far as they possibly could if I didn't sign those fucking papers."

John nodded with sympathy. He felt for Randy, as he had went through a separation and divorce as well. He and his ex-wife didn't have any children though, so he couldn't truly imagine what it would be like to feel like the world was ripping itself away.

"Well, just concentrate on tonight."

"Oh, yeah," Randy scoffed. "Because I start the storyline with the person who took Anise away from me."

John shook his head this time.

"He didn't take Anise away from you," he said to Randy, uncaring of the deathly glare that he received for his words. "She made that choice to be with him."

"Well that makes it a hundred times better, doesn't it?" Randy asked sarcastically. "She decided to be with some punk ass over me. That makes me feel better about it."

"Man," John began as he shook his head slightly again. "You're just all around stubborn, aren't you?"

"I'm stubborn? You kidding me right now, John?"

"No, I'm not. Look, I don't know what went on, and I refuse to be sucked into any of the stories I've heard, but it takes two to make something work. It wasn't just all her fault." He adjusted the hat on his head before backing away towards the door. "I'll see you later on."

Randy sat there long after John walked out. It was close to the show's start before he even began getting dressed for his segment. He knew John was right, but something inside of him just wanted Anise to accept the fact that she couldn't leave him. She may not be by his side anymore, but she was still his.

"""""

"I don't want to see this," Anise said as she stood up from the couch in her mother's home. "I had to sit through it in person last week, and I just don't want to see it again."

Vivian uncrossed her legs and stood to follow her daughter outside.

"I know how you feel," Vivian said as she softly shut the sliding door. "I guess I was lucky though that Jay and Jeff didn't really have matches together later on in their careers."

"But still," Anise said. "It would irritate you to know that dad would purposely hurt Jeff. Jeff isn't a bad guy. He just wasn't right for you after a certain point."

Vivian ducked her head down at her words, closing the sweater she wore and sitting down at the patio table with her daughter.

"Can I tell you something?" she asked Anise. She pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, clearing her throat before speaking. "I don't want you to be mad at this. It was twenty-some years ago, before you were born. I'm not saying it was right of him, or that I honestly know the reason why he did it. I guess it's because some people are just so driven by emotions that they can't see through them."

Anise listened carefully, reading the lines between the ones her mother spoke. She already knew, not because of anything that people have told her during her life, but because she had gone through it herself.

"He hurt you, didn't he?" she asked Vivian in a quiet voice.

Vivian nodded. "Don't think badly of him though."

"I can't," Anise told her, shaking her head. "I don't know if it was because he felt sorry for me in general, or if it was because he felt sorry over you so he felt like he had to help me, but he did. Without questions, and without any hesitation." She shrugged her shoulders, exhaling a deep breath. "Maybe he was just going through something back then. But he accepted me with open arms, and I'll always remember that."

"That's good," Vivian said. "I would never want anyone to think any less of him. I don't now, and I didn't back then. He was going through something, and I'm glad he's realized what's better for him."

Silence fell between them for a few minutes, Anise looking into the house through the sliding doors, realizing that the RAW segment between Randy and Phil was done. She took a deep breath, watching as the white puffs disappeared into the cold night air.

"I was good to him, mom," she simply stated. "So good to him. I never lied to him. Never cheated on him. I waited for him. I cooked for him, and cleaned for him. I never complained, and did everything for him that I thought he would like."

Vivian just grabbed Anise's hand, offering comfort and support along with a gentle smile.

"I don't know why he just snapped," Anise continued. "I'll never know why. He was always worried about me being around Stephen at first, and then Phil, but I never was wrong to him." She shifted in the patio chair, gripping onto her mother's hand tightly. "I never told you guys this, but... When I had the twins... Eight months pregnant I was, and I came home, placed my bag down, and went upstairs. He said he didn't know I'd be home early, so I guess in his mind that justified it, but I saw him with another woman. In the bed that we shared. I always knew that he wasn't faithful, but it just wasn't something I wanted to see."

"Oh, God, baby," Vivian whispered.

"Yeah," she said, nodding her head down to a tilt. "I figured if I never saw it, I could believe it wasn't true. But I did, and it was. I was never unfaithful to him though, you know? And that's what hurt the most. It'd be completely different if I was out doing the same thing myself. I'd have no room to complain. But I wasn't." She scoffed, taking her hand away from Vivian's. "Doesn't matter though. He never believed me."

They looked up to Jay opening the sliding door. He joined them at the table, motioning Vivian to bring her feet up onto his lap.

"What are you girls doing out here?" he asked as he took off the flip flop that was on Vivian's foot.

"Just talking," Vivian answered, giving him a smile.

"About boys, purses, and shoes," Jay joked. "I know, I know."

Anise laughed, watching on as her dad rubbed her mother's foot. He was so gentle with her. So caring. They'd always been that way with each other. Growing up, she had never heard a harsh word traded between the two. Thinking back to the very beginning through everything Randy had done to her, through everything that happened between she and him, she shook her head. She wanted that with him, and she tried to believe she could have it with him. But kindness wasn't something you tried for. It was merely something you did.

Standing up, hugging her arms around her waist, she bent to place a kiss on each of their cheeks.

"Going to put the kids to bed now that the show is over," she told them. She stood at the sliding door, looking back at them for a moment. "I have what you two have in Phil."

Vivian visibly blushed at Anise's words, knowing what she meant. She looked over at Jay as Anise stepped into the warmth of the house.

"What?" came the simple word out of Jay's mouth.

"Don't worry about it," Vivian told him, lightly slapping at his chest. She wiggled her untouched foot, grinning at him. "Now do the other one."

"""""

This was months in the making. The build up. The suspense. It was the ultimate revenge against someone who had hurt someone he loved. After months of getting a taste... just a taste... he wanted more. This was a live pay-per-view event in a quite literally hellish match. It was brutally intense, and what Phil loved the most was that the powers to be were really powerless to stop it.

He reveled in the thuds that he heard as he carried Randy's body over his head, crashing him into the steel cage. He suplexed him again and again, each time becoming more satisfied that he was tearing Randy apart. He didn't care which part of Randy's body hit the mesh... An arm, a leg, hell even his head was welcomed.

He waited just a second too long to stand up though, Randy getting an advantage over him, grabbing onto the back of his head and his trunks and swinging him face first into the steel. Randy stumbled back some, walking the length of the side of the ring before coming back full force and delivering a punt kick to Phil's head.

"""""

"Oh my God," Anise nervously said. She sat in her aunt's makeshift office, watching the monitor as it displayed Phil motionless in the corner of the cell. Her leg jumped up and down from anticipation... Her hands constantly finding themselves over her mouth. "Oh my God, he's knocked out."

"He'll get up," Paul said in an attempt to comfort his niece. Although, if he were completely honest with himself, he didn't really know. What he did know was that both Phil and Randy had diverted from the match that they discussed.

"""""

Randy rolled into the ring, laying flat on his back, catching his breath. The crowd's deafening cheers seemed to vibrate his head. These people... None of them knew that there were real emotions behind this match. He and Phil were really out to hurt each other.

Tilting his head up, he saw that Phil's arm was draped over the ring post in an effort to pull himself up. He slowly slid back into the ring himself, crawling over towards Randy for a pin. Randy was just able to pull up his arm as he heard the referee count to two. The crowd screamed at the kick out, cheering for their favorites once more.

Phil panted, grunts escaping his body as he dragged himself to his knees. Taking Randy's arm, he pulled him outside of the ring, glad to hear the slap that Randy's sweaty body made as he fell to the thinly padded floor. On unsteady feet, he climbed the turnbuckle, preparing to fling himself to Randy's twisted body on the mat below. The crowd's approval was even louder as Phil took to flying off the ring post, crashing down onto Randy's unmoving body.

_"This is awesome!"_ the crowed shouted in unison. _"This is awesome!"_

Phil's body involuntarily twitched, and all he could hear was Randy's shallow breathing as they lay against the edging of the steel cell.

"""""

Anise couldn't take anymore. She left the office, making her way down to the area next to the stage. Security had followed her, surely at the words of her aunt and uncle, stopping her from running down the side of the ramp.

"Anise!" Stephanie voiced out.

"Pull her back!" Paul shouted.

"No!" Anise screamed out. "They're hurting each other! They're going to kill each other! Let go!"

It shocked the hell out of the security guards as it took three of them to stop her. A guy at each of her arms, and one making his chest as broad as possible so she wouldn't be able to get around him. After a good few minutes, they were finally able to draw her away from stage-side.

"Anise, have you lost your mind? You can't go out there. This is a live event we're doing."

"No! They're going to hurt themselves!" Anise shouted to her uncle, tears streaming down her face. She struggled against the burly men more as they pulled her to where Stephanie had directed.

"They both agreed to this match, Nisey," Stephanie said in a gentle voice. She knew nothing would soothe her niece right now though. Nothing would alleviate the heartache she had over this match. "They knew what they were getting themselves into, and I'm sorry, but we can't allow you to go out there. For various reasons, including the high chance of you getting hurt."

Anise swallowed her cries, noticing her aunt's jaw setting with authority.

"Just go back to the office," Paul said. "Don't watch it. Just lay down, calm down, and you'll be able to see them after the match."

"""""

Phil pulled out a table from underneath the ring, his tired body sliding it into the ring. Randy was laid flat out, the dent in the black steel chair proof that he wasn't going to get up any time soon. His eyes were closed, arms sprawled out to his sides, and Phil couldn't quite tell if he was still breathing. He knew he'd get a fine, or several, for the head shots he bestowed to Randy, but he didn't care. It was all worth it.

He rolled into the ring to set up the table, placing it near the middle of the ring. Walking over to where Randy was still laid out, he picked him up, placing his body to lay on the table. Once he was satisfied with the positioning, he made his way to the turnbuckle, slowly and tiredly climbing it once again. Letting out a breath, he let out a shout that provoked the crowd even more. He carefully stood on the top turnbuckle, spreading his arms out before making the dive down.

Only Randy saw him, quickly slipping off the table, grabbing Phil's head as he came down, and pulled him into an impromptu RKO. Phil's body smashed into the table, and they both lay still as the referee checked on them. Randy nodded his head lazily, and with a good amount of effort, pushed Phil onto his back for a pin.

Phil lifted his shoulder at the very last moment, knowing he had to evade losing this match. He saw the referee bend down, and heard him say something.

"You're bleeding," was all he heard as his head moved from side to side. He exhausted everything he had left to stand up, leaning on the ropes as Randy did the same on the other side of the ring.

Randy grinned seeing the laceration on Phil's chest, the blood smearing itself across the wound. He placed a hand to his jaw, shaking his head. They both knew this had to end soon. He hated that he would be dropping the belt to Phil tonight, but at least he got the opportunity to beat the living hell out of him. He prepared himself to flip over the top rope as Phil ran at him, placing a dropkick to his chest. He just barely blocked it from hitting his face as he went toppling over the ropes and onto the floor.

Phil roared with his hands held out to his side, running on pure adrenaline as he bounced off the ropes and flew through the middle ropes, clashing into Randy, making the metal imbed into his back for a second. Randy stilled, wincing at the pain the pinching metal delivered to his flesh. He dropped to his knees, only to be slung back into the ring.

He watched as Phil climbed the turnbuckle again, this time successfully connecting with Randy's body as he dove off the post. The remains of the table were still in the ring as Phil stood, and placed his hands flat together against his cheek, signaling his finishing move. He picked Randy up by his head, and hoisted him over his shoulders. The crowd cheered for this moment, the moment they knew Randy was done.

Phil brought Randy down, Randy's face harshly planted into his knee pad. Randy's head reeled before he fell backwards onto pieces of the table as Phil swayed on his feet for a split second before dropping down for the cover.


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N:** Back with some more. VKxXx92, unfortunately, sometimes, things seem to fall right back in the same old thing. When I got the idea for this story, I didn't realize how much of my own I'd be telling. Sometimes I forget that I'm actually writing about characters. Taking so much from what I've gone through, and putting it into a story really helped though. Makes you see the situation with more clarity. But thank you to the readers. I much appreciate your time, and I hope you all enjoy these next two._

Anise cried out as Phil won the match. She never wanted to see anything like that again.

"Oh, my God," she said to herself. "Never again. Never a-fucking-gain."

She pushed her way past the people that were surrounding them, Phil's eyes immediately finding her. Trying not to ignore the praises of his co-workers, he finally was able to touch Anise's hand, and followed her.

"What did you think?" he asked her as the door to the room they found shut behind them.

"What did I think?" she repeated, more than angry at him. "What did I think? Are you fucking crazy? Have you lost your fucking mind? Do you know how bad you two could have gotten hurt out there? A sledge hammer, Phil? That was not supposed to be a part of the match, and you know it!"

He shrugged, sitting down on a table and unraveling the tape from his hands. "So we improvised a little bit. They can't deny we put on an awesome match though."

Her head dropped, though she wasn't disappointed in him. She was just scared. Scared that he wouldn't be able to walk out of that match. Scared that she'd lose him all for the sake of him wanting to get his hands on Randy.

"Plus," he added, shifting the championship belt from his shoulder slowly. "I got this."

She wanted to slap him as she held her hands out, fingers spread with madness. Instead, she placed them on either side of his head and attached her lips to his. "Don't ever do something that fucking stupid again," she said as their lips continued to touch each other in short, little sessions. "Ever."

"I'd risk it again, all for you, honey."

"No," she said, shaking her head, her hand touching his chest. The warm moistness of the blood spreading over her fingers, making her gasp as she rubbed the redness between her fingers.

"Trim of the table must have caught me in that RKO," Phil said calmly.

"That's a really long cut," she told him, examining the slash of redness. "And pretty deep, too."

"Nah." He stood from the table, tossing the tape aside. "I've had worse. It'll be fine."

The door to the room cracked open, Paul sticking his head into the doorway.

"I'd like you to come see me after the trainer looks at you, Phil," Paul told him. "We've got a thing or two to discuss."

Though the look on her uncle's face was slightly amusing, knowing he was happy with the way the match turned out, Anise knew that he wasn't too pleased at how extreme the two men pushed the match. She couldn't bring herself to watch all of it as it was going on, her hands hiding the match from her view for a decent portion. She'd have to watch it again, in full, later on once she knew that Phil was totally unscathed.

The door shut, and Phil smiled at her.

"Well, honey, I don't think I'll be buying you anything fancy for a while."

Her lips twisted with delight at Phil's humor, and she kissed him once more.

"Come on, you really need to see the trainer."

"""""

They sat in the small conference room, preparing themselves to hear their penalties and fines. It was the day after their Hell In a Cell match, both men physically bruised and utterly beaten up. Randy sat across the oval table, trying to look at anything but Anise. She was still so beautiful to him, and there was a hatred he had within himself for hurting her. He had been conflicted during their relationship, and instead of enjoying the fact that she was by his side, all he did was try to keep her there. Needless to say, his theory backfired on him.

She sat near the top of the table next to Stephanie, the two ladies quietly talking about something. Randy's ears perked up to a sound that he hadn't heard in quite some time as Stephanie made Anise laugh about something. Her laugh... It was truly something to get lost in. He thought about it, realizing that he had never really made her laugh. Between all the arguing and fighting, they never had the chance to enjoy each others company. That he regret as well, seeing to how she was so loving to her family, and exceptionally loving towards Phil.

"Gentlemen," Paul's husky voice blanketed the relatively quiet room. "I trust you're both doing fine from last night's match?"

Phil nodded his head, leaning back into the leather chair. "As good as I could be."

Randy simply sat there at the other end of the table, arms folded over his chest, and his glare concentrated straight ahead. Paul looked at him for a vocal response, but after a few moments, realized he wouldn't get one. Nodding his head, he sat at the table on the other side of his wife.

"Okay, let's get right into then, shall we?" Paul said as he looked over some papers. "Going completely off of what was agreed to be done, multiple head shots with chairs, and my personal favorite... " He paused, looking up to give a cheeky grin to the two men. "The sledge hammer."

Randy looked visibly irritated as he rolled his head around on his neck.

"Is there any real reason why the two of you went completely off script like that?" Stephanie asked, although she knew a huge part of the reason sat next to her. "I mean, emotions aside, guys, you both could have been really hurt."

Stephanie barely got the few last words out as Randy interrupted her.

"Look, I love to hear a useless lecture as much as the next guy," he said in an annoyed voice. "Can we just move this along? I didn't exactly plan on spending my Monday morning sitting in the same room with someone that I would have been glad to take out completely."

While Stephanie's look soured at Randy's obvious dismissal of any care towards the severity of what he and Phil did the previous night. Phil, however, grinned.

"But you didn't, Randal."

Randy looked over towards him. "You think it's funny, when you were that close to not standing up. When you were within an inch of not being able to crawl back to wherever the fuck you came from."

"Oh," Phil groaned with humor. "Come on, Randal. It wasn't that bad."

Randy stood, slamming his hands on the wooden surface. Phil could feel Anise jump slightly, and his amusement over ruffling Randy's feathers quickly turned into anger. Her body stilled and she stared straight ahead, out of the large window that took up the length of the wall opposite where they sat.

"You know I could have not only ended your career, but your life. I went easy on your punk ass, and if ever given the chance to do it again, I'll make sure that I cripple your ass."

The harsh words washed around in Anise's mind as she closed her eyes. She knew she shouldn't have come. She shouldn't have been there. She should have just waited for Phil on the bus. Seeing Randy at all was too early anyway. Dropping Phil's hand underneath the table, she stood, carefully backing up against the wall and quickly sliding her way out of the doors. Stephanie and Paul looked on, watching as the wooden door shut behind her. Glancing at each other, they both shook their head.

"Give me my goddamn fines," Randy said.

Paul blew out a breath, perhaps a sigh of relief that Anise was no longer around him now, and handed Randy a paper across the table. Randy quickly signed it, already knowing all of what was on it. Not that he really cared about the penalties... He just wanted to get out of here. Paul then handed him another paper, and without another wasted minute, he walked around the end of the table and left the room.

"""""

As he exited the room, Randy's eyes immediately fell on the person he wanted to see. He was still angry over dropping the belt to that punk, and knowing that the man he despised was also getting to enjoy his family... That set him off even more.

"Anise!" he called out, swiftly walking to where she was standing. "Why'd you walk out like that, huh? Can't stand to see your man be reduced to the pint size piece of nothing he really is?"

She didn't reply to him, remaining quiet as her shoulders sunk down. If Randy knew anything at all, it was how to get to her, right down to the core of her soul. It wasn't his presence that bothered her. It was his actions that set her on end. Shaking her head, she tried to shrug him off as she turned from him.

But he grabbed her arm, pulling her back to where he stood so close her. He missed her. He missed them being together, and raising their family. Another man should not have the chance to be with what was his.

"Answer me," he demanded as he squeezed his hands around her upper arms. "Answer me, Anise."

His voice was low, rumbling in his chest. She finally looked up at him, her golden eyes connecting with his blue. They were still as icy as ever, cold to anyone who crossed him.

"What do you want me to say?" she whispered. "You know I have nothing to do with any of the production." She watched him close his eyes as he took in a deep breath. His grip on her shoulders tightened even more.

"Tell me that you're not with him," he said. "Tell me, Anise, that you're not allowing another man to raise my children." He shook her as he felt her struggle to pull herself from his hands. "Tell me that, Anise!"

She looked over his shoulder to see her aunt and uncle exiting the conference room, Phil not far behind them. Trying to twist her arm out of his grasp, he shook her again, this time more violently. Watching her aunt and uncle walk away in the opposite direction, she knew they hadn't seen Randy holding her. They were so close and so far away from her. But she let out a whine, a slight whimper, as his hands squeezed her, his fingers digging into her flesh through the long sleeve shirt she wore.

"Hey!" Phil's voice called out, and she saw him sprint to where they were. "Hey, get off her! Get the fuck off of her!" He pushed his body between them, prying Randy's hold from her. He was a mere second from punching Randy in the face as Paul and Stephanie quickly walked up.

"What the hell is going on here?" Stephanie asked, stepping up into Randy's face. "You're upset, Randy. I get it. You feel like your life isn't going the way you want. I get that. You think that you'll never see your kids again, and Randy, I get that you're upset over it." Stephanie halted, stopping herself from becoming any close to him, for she had fear in herself that she wouldn't be able to stop herself from slapping him across his face. "But I promise you that if you touch her again, especially in our presence, that a little legal action would be nothing compared to the ass kicking you'll get from me."

"Upset?!" Randy shouted, shoving himself away from Phil. "Fucking upset? That's the understatement of a lifetime, Stephanie!" He looked over to where Phil was holding Anise, and she calmed in his arms. "No, I'm upset about losing the belt to him. I was upset that I couldn't beat his ass even more." He looked back over to Stephanie and Paul's glare. "But I'm down right pissed off that you threatened my kids. You can pay all the sloppy lawyers you want, but at the end of the day, they're still _my_ children. I made them with her, and no one else."

Stephanie's face straightened out, realizing his words. Looking to Paul, who was still glowering at Randy, she parted her lips to speak.

"No one threatened anything to you," she said.

"Bullshit," Randy said, a hand going up to his to rub his sore jaw.

"You guys threatened him?" Anise's voice sounded. She removed herself from Phil's arms, looking towards her aunt and uncle, her brows furrowed together in confusion. "What?"

"It was necessary," Paul began, but she quickly stopped him.

"What was necessary? No, it wasn't necessary," she gasped out. "I told you all from the start, that I'd never hold the kids over Randy's head." She refused Phil holding her hand, pushing him away and crossing her arms under her chest. "And that's exactly what you did. How could you do that to him?"

"To him?" Paul said. "Anise, he was abusing you. Don't you think we would have done anything to get you away from that?"

She held up her hand, shaking it in front of her uncle. "To me, uncle Paul," she told him. He treated her bad, and none of them could deny that, but Randy not being able to see his kids was something she never wanted to happen. "How could you do that to them?"

Randy looked at her. She didn't know? Surely she agreed to the idea when the divorce papers were drawn up. But seeing the disgusted look on her face as she left the area they were standing in told him the truth.

"You added something that she didn't agree to," Randy said as she watched her walk away with Phil. "All because you were too selfish to realize that our kids would suffer the most."

Paul scoffed, slowly backing away with Stephanie, who had turned to leave.

"Give me a break, Orton. After all I've tried to do for you, this was something you messed up on your own."

He stared at Paul as he and Stephanie left into an office. He couldn't blame them for doing what they thought needed to be done. Hell, if he were in the spot Anise was, he surely would have done the same. Inwardly though, he cursed himself. He should have known that Anise would never do that to him. She _was_ better than that. She was better than him. He would have held everything from her, but he knew there was nothing he could do to make her agree to be with him. No, she wouldn't agree. He'd have to find her.


	19. Chapter 19

Phil had watched her laying on the hotel bed for hours now. A book in her hands, black rectangular glasses on her face, and the glow of the bedside lamp illuminating her. He sat on the rough, upholstered couch, not being able to think of one word to say to her. As many thoughts as he had floating around in his mind, not a single word touched his tongue. What was there _to_ say? It was a touchy situation, and then having to deal with all the other things that had been thrown her way... It wasn't exactly something he could prepare for.

She eyed him over the top of the book, her expression still showing kindness to him.

"Why don't you come lay down?" she asked him softly.

His head tilted from side to side as he contemplated what he could say. Yet still nothing as he decided to stand and make his way to the bed. Kicking off his sneakers and discarding his shirt and jeans, he laid down underneath the comforter next to her. She closed the book without another passing thought, and hugged him close to her.

"No," he said, motioning to the book. "Keep reading. I didn't want to interrupt you."

She tossed the book onto the bedside table. "I'll finish it tomorrow while you're working," she told him as she ran her fingers over his soft hair. "It's not as interesting as you anyway."

He brought his head down some, settling against her chest. A smile crossed his face as he laced a hand with one of hers.

"Did I ever tell you that this is the best place rest my head?" He could feel the soft laugh rumble in her chest.

"I thought you were an ass man?" she joked.

"That too," he agreed. "The combination of the two is what always gets me."

He was quiet for a minute, thinking over some things. What he never stopped thinking of since it happened. They never truly talked about it; only smoothing over some of the sorrow that they both shared for it. But tonight, with her children in thought, maybe she would open up to him about it. He took his chances as they lay together in the calm atmosphere.

"Nise," he said in a low hush.

Her fingers were still delicately combing through his hair. "Hmm?"

"Can you tell me?" He tilted his head up, seeing the confused look on her face. "About the baby?"

She let out an exhausted sigh, but showed no sign of irritation from him asking.

"Well," she started. "Me and Randy were arguing, as usual, and I just had this excruciating pain in my stomach. I honestly had no idea what it was. Then I just felt this snap, like this tiny little pop, inside of me. I researched it some, read what others had experienced, and apparently the pop I felt was the cord breaking."

Phil took a moment to soak in her words, rubbing a gentle hand over her bare thigh. The warmth of her amazed him, and he never wanted to be cold without her again.

"So," he said groggily. "You didn't know?"

"That I was pregnant? No," she answered. "I had no idea. No signs, no symptoms, nothing."

"Did they tell you how far you were?"

She thought for a second, thinking back to what the nurse that had taken care of her told her. "Almost three months, they said. First trimester is the most common for miscarriages, within the first twelve weeks."

"Oh," he said thoughtfully. "So it wasn't a rare occurrence, or anything that could come back?"

"No," she told him, shaking her head slightly. "It's actually pretty common. I've heard before that miscarriages are only a one time thing, but I find that hard to believe considering how common it is."

"So, other than not carrying to full term, you're fine?"

She looked down at him, seeing the worry in his face. A soft hand of hers ran down his face, caressing his smooth skin.

"Sweets, I'm fine. It was just a freak accident." Her fingers lingered around his lips for a moment before she signed, being dragged back into her thoughts. "Other than me and him arguing, there was nothing else that could have caused it. But I don't blame him."

"How could you not?" he asked, reveling in her feathery touches.

"Because, it was the stress of it all," she explained, hoping that he would at least understand, even if he didn't agree. "Of everything. It could have happened to anyone, at any given time, anywhere in the world."

He was quiet once again, listening to her soft voice. The only other noise in the room was the air conditioner humming softly in the background somewhere. He was surprised that she had been so calm during the whole ordeal. Losing a child was something no one should have to go through. The week's worth of nights he had spent with her after though, he had heard her cry. She cried when she thought he was sleeping, or when she was in the bathroom, not realizing that he could hear her cries crystal clear. He had a nagging feeling that she felt like she was all alone, and he had wished then that she would open up to him.

But a thought sank through his mind, muddling itself with everything else. Wanting to ask, but not wanting to be harsh about it, he cautiously thought of his words.

"Do you think it was his?"

He felt her body still, and pulled away from her.

"I can't answer that with a straight thought." She looked at him as he sat up straight in the bed. "Would you be mad if it was possibly his?"

"Why would I be mad? I mean, he was your husband. You had every reason in the world to get into bed with him."

She closed her eyes, shaking her head briefly before looking back up at him. "I'm going to tell you this because I trust you. Not because I want you to do anything to him, or because I want you to dislike him even more than you already do."

"Babes, I despise him."

She shook her head some more, holding a hand up to silence him.

"I know, but baby, please, just promise me that you'll keep this with you."

Phil nodded, "Nise, you know I'll never do anything to hurt you." He watched her turn her head to the side, placing a hand over her mouth.

"How can I say this without making it sound like a teenage drama... " When the words didn't become any easier to say, she sighed and just let it go. "The last time we did anything was right before the miscarry. Only, I didn't want it – "

"What?" Phil nearly shouted, just about jumping off the bed.

"No, Phil," she said desperately, trying to grab onto his hand. "Please, just sit down."

"He raped you? Please tell me that's not what you're saying."

She reached for his evasive hand again, able to hold onto it for just a few seconds. "I was his wife, Phil."

"Bullshit," he said, pulling his hand away from her, the anger flooding through his body. "It doesn't matter what the fuck you were to him. That didn't give him the right to touch you when you didn't want to be touched."

Kneeling on the bed, she scooted her way over to where he stood, attempting to calm him down.

"Please, baby, I didn't tell you for you to become mad at me."

That made him stop, turning to face her.

"I'm not mad at you," he said defeated. His hands cupped her face, instantly regretting his reaction. She hadn't told him so that he would set out on revenge. She told him because she trusted him, and he knew that. "I'm sorry, babes."

Pulling his hands with her, she laid back down into bed. He snuggled up close to her, melting into her warm, plush body. Running his hands over her curvy figure, he placed his face into the nook of her neck and inhaled her sweet aroma. A light vanilla scent is what she always smelled like, and it comforted him more than he ever realized.

"Do you want kids, Phil?" she asked him in their wave of calmness.

"Tomorrow, no. But it's definitely something that I'd look forward to in the future. Having little mini-mes running around has to be the best thing ever, right?"

She chuckled, a hand of hers rubbing down his back. "Until they want toys and candy, and start to ask you questions that you couldn't explain to them if you had a book on it."

He daze looked up to her, a slight grin on his face.

"I love you, Nise."

She smiled at his words. So simple they were, yet the emotions he had towards her were pushed through. She knew he was real.

Placing a kiss on his lips, she whispered to him. "I love you, too."

"""""

Nearly every light in his house was on, yet somehow, he still felt as if it were dark. Dark and empty. That's what this house was without her. That's what he was without her. He couldn't shake off the feeling of dread as he thought back to the last time he saw Anise. She was walking away from him, away from the family they had created together. And not just by herself... She was walking away with him. He tried to get that vision out of his mind, but it stayed there, replaying over and over.

Why would she just give up on him like that? Give up on their relationship so easily... He wanted to work things out, even now, but she just wasn't having it. Just thinking of her being with Phil made his blood boil, and as he sat at the kitchen table looking over the signed papers that ended everything he worked for and built up with Anise, he couldn't take it anymore.

There had to be something he could do, anything to make her realize that she was making a mistake. He had to make her realize that she belonged not with Phil, but with him. She was meant to be an Orton. They could reverse the divorce decision, rescind the judgment that had separated them, and finally be together as one again. But these papers seemed so permanent, so final, and they mocked him, showing off the fact that he had let her slip away.

As he looked over them for the umpteenth time, reading where her name was versus his, he noticed the print of it. Why had he never thought it before? Of course they would have been on the divorce papers, but he had been too blindly involved in his feelings, so unsighted by his animosity towards Brooks, that it was something that never crossed his mind.

The address that held him from Anise and his children. The address in North Carolina that she had never told him. The home that was not shared with him, but with her new lover boy. They had all been so slick about everything, glossing over the fact that it was Anise who was now with someone else. There was no way that they'd approve that punk over him. Prestige and honor is not what Phil came from. He was a city kid, tossing his way through life as it came, and he was lucky to have found a niche for wrestling or else he would have never amounted to much of anything.

Randy thought of himself, knowing that he came from a name and had a name to uphold. Sure, he had been wild earlier on, throwing caution to the wind, but he was different now. He had an image to maintain, and right now, Phil was getting in the way of the one thing that mattered to him.

"""""

"Babes."

His voice traveled from outside into the house as she cleaned up the kitchen. Looking from the counter she stood in front of, she could see Phil appearing into view a few moments later. He stayed in the doorway, messing with something. When he said her name again, she wiped her hands off on a kitchen towel and walked towards him.

"What?" she asked him, leaning against the slim piece of wall next to the door.

"I'm going to need some parts to fix this thing," he told her. He stood up straight and swung the door back and forth a couple of times. "I just doesn't want to sit straight. It's leaning into the frame."

"You think it's better to just replace it?"

"No," he answered as he looked up at the top of the door frame. "I can fix it. The front door itself is fine. I just need the new pieces."

"Well, dinner is in the oven. If you want to go to the store while it's cooking, go ahead," she said, stepping outside some to see what he was talking about. "How much do you think it will cost?"

"Why do you want to know that?" he asked, still busy with taking apart the hinge. "Watch out."

Taking another step back, she shrugged. "So I can give you the money."

"Nise, I've got my cards. I'll pay for it."

"Such a gentleman."

He caught the smile on her face, giving into temptation as he kissed her quickly before taking a hold of the door and placing it to the side.

"See," he said as he held up the metal pieces. "They're bent, and it sets off the entire track of the door." He groaned out a breath and tossed the pieces into a plastic baggie. "Think I'll take these for reference."

"Okay." She followed him back into the kitchen, watching as he slipped his feet into his sneakers and grabbed his keys from the counter.

"I'll be back, honey." He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, then turned towards the entrance. "Keep the kids away from the door. It's heavy and I don't want it falling on top of them," he told her as he slipped on past where the waiting front door was leaning on a wall just inside of the house.

Through the side of the side of the kitchen that led into the dinning room, she could see Phil hop into her black pick-up, taking off slowly down the roughly paved road. The sound of footsteps brought her out of her stare.

"Mom, where's Phil going?" she heard Gunner ask.

Turning to him, she smacked her lips, an amused look on her face.

"Well, he's going to the hardware store because _someone_," she emphasized before giving her son a grin. "Likes to throw footballs around and ram himself into the front door with his uncle."

"But uncle Shawn is fun!" Gunner reasoned with his mother.

"I'm sure he is," she laughed. "Go over to your aunt Cris' and get your sister. Dinner will be ready soon."

Gunner circled his arms around her waist before running off through the open space that was the front door. Anise knew that the two children would be over at her brother's house for a while before they even thought about coming back to their own home to eat. She took the time, sitting quietly in the living room, to think over things. Almost instantly, Phil had placed himself into father mode. He had already told her that he wanted to be in Gianna's and Gunner's lives, but that he did not want to replace Randy.

Although Phil intensely disliked Randy, he knew that the children needed their father. Phil knew better than to try and take that place. He only wanted to make sure that Anise knew he was there not only for her, but for them as well.

"Too perfect," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. Sitting there for longer than she thought, the smell of the food brought her back to her senses. Carefully taking the hot trays out of the oven, she placed them onto the counters, and was surprised to hear the sounds of her kids coming into the house.

"Smells good, mom," Gianna said as she climbed onto a kitchen stool.

"Thanks, baby." She then turned to the son that was reaching into the candy dish that sat at the edge of the counter against the wall. She smacked his hand away, waving him away from the candy. "You can have some after your dinner, Gun. You're not having anything sugary before you eat something."

"Aw, mom!"

"Aw nothing, now you guys go wash up. I'm almost certain that some type of backyard dirt is on your hands."

Gianna slid down off the stool, following Gunner towards the bathroom. As they walked away, she heard her son grumbling.

"How did she know we were playing with worms?"

"""""

Gianna and Gunner clean and free of dirt, the only thing that was missing for the night was Phil. He text her not too long ago, telling her that he had the pieces needed to put the front door back, and that he was making the fifteen minute trip back to the house. All was quiet as she and the kids sat at the kitchen table, talking to each other about simple things. How many bugs they had found, how Shawn had led them and Astrid into the woods to collect tree limbs for something they were to build together. She laughed as her children continued talking, entertained by them as they told her the adult things they heard from Shannon and Shane.

"Don't repeat that, Gunner," she said sternly, but not being able to hide some of the amusement she had.

"I won't," he said, his cheeks puffed out. "Why doesn't Phil drink beer with them, mom?"

"Well," she breathed in. "Everyone has a choice whether or not they want to drink. He decided that he didn't want to."

"Can I decide if I want to drink?" Gianna asked innocently. She played with her fingers as she sat on her knees in the chair.

"When you're older," Anise replied with a laugh and a shake of her head. "Much older."

Their fun talk stopped when she heard his voice. The one voice that made her blood run cold. She remained static, unable to move as she saw his figure walk towards them.

"Daddy!" both of the children she shared with him said, running to him. They had no idea. Not a single thought that their father was a monster deep down. Not a clue that he possessed the ability to tear their mother down with a single touch.

It went unnoticed to him that his two children were at his denim-clad legs, clinging and hugging onto him. Their calling out to him all but ignored as he slowly approached Anise.

"This is what you do now?" he asked her in a low voice. "Have dinner waiting, sitting around the table talking with the kids that you keep from me?"

Her breathing became heavy, seeing him walking towards her, the black leather jacket he wore over a white shirt a blur.

"I'm not keeping them from you, Randy," she managed to say, only moving when he was standing next to her. He forcefully grabbed her hand, pressing her skin to his. The torture of his hot flesh seemed to burn into her, and she quickly wanted to move away from him.

"Oh, but you are, Anise," he said in a low voice. "You're keeping everything I want away from me." He slowly pressed the back of her smooth, cool hand into his face.

"Randy, please just leave. You'll see the kids next weekend."

He dropped her hand, his eyes concentrated on it as she pulled it back to her lap. "But where, Anise? Where will I see them? At headquarters? Because you can't bring them to our house like you should."

She kept her emotions at bay, not wanting to give him any signs of weakness.

"That is not our house anymore," she told him, her eyes looking into his. "That is not my house."

He laughed as if their situation was comical, no warning given at all as his face turned down into a scowl and his hand connected with her face. Preventing herself from making any noise in front her children, she only held onto the sore spot on her cheek.

"Kids," she said in a loud whisper. "Go to your rooms."

They stood still in the same spot close to the kitchen's edge where Randy had left them. Anise saw the happiness on their little faces mix with confusion. Her poor babies... They really had no idea at all.

"Get up," he demanded, now completely ignoring the fact that their young ones were watching them closely. "I said, get up!" He wrapped his large hands around her wrists, flinging her out of the chair, just barely able to keep her standing with the force of his action.

"Mommy!" Gianna cried out, her soft voice cracking through the heavy atmosphere.

"Baby, go to your room!" Anise called out. But neither of the children moved from where they stood, unable to tear their eyes away from their beloved mother being thrown around by their father.

Anise didn't want them to see Randy toss her around. She didn't know how she could ever explain to them at this young age that their father severely mistreated her. Those just weren't words that you said to children. They were so impressionable that any misconstrued image of Randy could have them hating him for a long time, and no matter what he had ever done to her, she didn't want them to hate their father.

Thinking quickly, she pried his fingers from around her arms, pushing him as hard as she could in her position. Randy stumbled back but a step, but it was far enough away from her that she could confidently draw back her fist and land a punch of her own somewhere on his face. With a short breath out, she watched him grab the side of his face, seeing the absolute rage wash over him. She had never hit him before. She had pushed him, shoved him, but only to get him away. She had never, in any of the times that he had abused her, ever full on strike him. Perhaps she should have from the start... He would have known not to treat her like she meant nothing.

Wasting not a second more, she bolted past him, taking a hand each of Gunner and Gianna, and making a run to the master bedroom. He was running down the hallway as she turned and shut the door just in time.

"Open the door, Anise!" he bellowed from outside of the room. "I will _not_ do this all goddamn day! Open the fucking door!"

"No!" she screamed out, holding her children close to her. "Please, leave us alone! Please!"

There was no one around. No one to help her and her children escape the wrath that he had. She only knew it was a matter of time before he located her. But she scolded herself for becoming too comfortable here. For becoming too secure out in the middle of nowhere. She should have known better. She should have been more careful. And she should have kept moving on.


End file.
